


The Beauty of Aether

by GhulehGang



Category: Sonic X, Sonic the Hedgehog (Archie Comic), Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW Comics), Sonic the Hedgehog (Video Games), Sonic the Hedgehog - All Media Types
Genre: A more serious take on the Chaotix, Action & Romance, Action/Adventure, Aged-Up Character(s), Demons, F/M, Ghosts, Horror, Original Character(s), Romance, Supernatural - Freeform, Team Chaotix - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-14
Updated: 2021-01-11
Packaged: 2021-03-06 20:33:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 22
Words: 85,249
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26454949
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GhulehGang/pseuds/GhulehGang
Summary: The world is ending. Everybody knew it once the morning sun failed to rise, and temperatures plummeted. In order to save the world, Espio would have to sign a contract and give Winona his heart and soul. And, honestly, he wouldn’t want it any other way. Espio x OC
Relationships: Espio the Chameleon/OC, Espio the Chameleon/Original Character(s), Espio the Chameleon/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 24
Kudos: 6





	1. 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, this is my first sonic fic and I'm a bit nervous. I know canon x oc fics aren't quite as popular as they used to be, but that's okay. I'm giving it a shot and that's all that matters!  
> Before reading please note that the character ages have been altered a smidge. In this fic, Vector is 25, Espio is 20, Charmy is 15, Cream is 15, and my OC Winona is also 20.

Their little grey car crept up the road slowly across from the stairs of the museum, headlights off. After parking behind a vacant ice cream truck, the Crocodile removed the keys from the ignition and sat back in his seat. He passed a pair of binoculars to his Chameleon partner, who used them to peer out of the tinted driver’s side window.  
“Tell me, Vector,” Said the Chameleon to the Crocodile as he scanned the giant glass-front entrance to the museum, “How did you manage to convince Charmy to stay at home?”  
“Mm!” Placing a cigarette between his lips, Vector flicked open a silver lighter and took a drag before responding. “Told him I’d raise his allowance by a dollar if he made himself microwavable taquitos and stayed in his bedroom for the entire night.” He cracked the window and allowed the ghostly smoke from his mouth to escape into the veil of stars above the car. “An’ it helps that Mighty got’em that video game for his birthday, he’ll probably still be awake by the time we’re home, you know how teenagers love to stay up late.”  
The Chameleon eyed the digital clock illuminated by the car stereo. “11:48 p.m.” He noted quietly before quickly shifting his tone, “Vector, when did you take up smoking again? I thought Vanilla made you quit.” Vector grumbled in response, taking the binoculars from his comrade’s hands to scout the area himself.  
“Don’t nag, Espio… Besides, Vanilla and I are kinda--”  
“--She broke up with you?”  
Vector hesitated, “No! We ain’t broken up we’re just-- y’know, takin’ a break.”  
Espio narrowed his eyes at Vector, who hid his somber expression by looking away to scout the building with the binoculars once again. Espio could always tell when Vector felt wounded. The gentle giant was horrible at masking his emotions, especially when it came to Miss Vanilla and their personal affairs within their relationship. “Why did you not tell me, Vector? I would have been capable of doing this case alone.”  
“Actually… I don’t mind the distraction.”  
Espio decided not to pry, he knew it would only make things worse. Instead, he decided to take off his seatbelt and fasten his shoulder holster, packing its pockets with kunai and throwing stars. “Do we anticipate this bandit to be dangerous?”  
“Client didn’t say, but I wouldn’t let your guard down. Now, he did mention somethin’ about there bein’ no obvious tampering. Whoever pulled this off the last time was slick, seems nobody could tell how the culprit got in or out. Pretty interesting, right?”  
“Indeed…” Espio responded, checking the time once more to see that only a minute had passed. “And these heists have happened consecutively? How many nights?”  
“Four so far. They must be looking for certain items in particular. The only things stolen so far have come from their ancient artifacts section, particularly items pertainin’ to some monarchy that died out a few years ago.” Vector took another drag from his cigarette. “Each item was stolen at exactly 12:15 a.m. when all of the 67 security cameras in the building malfunctioned simultaneously. They came back online approximately five minutes later. None of em’ caught the perp, just an empty museum with missing artifacts. Pretty spooky.”  
“Can’t spook me.” Replied Espio with a cocky smirk. “I have a plan. Do you have the keys the Client lent you?” Vector nodded and fished around the pockets of his leather jacket, then tossed a little brass key to his partner. “I’ll scout out the inside and bypass the security cameras by camouflaging myself. You stay here and spot me.” He took from his own pocket a tactical earpiece with a microphone. “If you see anything suspicious on any of the floors from here, let me know.” Espio then opened his car door and began to climb out, but Vector grabbed his shoulder to stop him.  
“Holler if you need backup.”  
Espio offered Vector a simple nod before quietly shutting the car door behind him and hurrying across the street to the museum steps, allowing a veil of invisibility to cover him in the process. To any onlooker, he was nothing more than the atoms and oxygen surrounding them. He was completely and utterly concealed. His footsteps, thanks to years of rigorous training, were silent as he reached the glass double doors to the massive building. Before entering, however, he scanned the outside perimeter as a precaution. If someone were to be hiding in the bushes or behind one of the many white marble pillars supporting the building’s roof-- well, he’d be able to apprehend them easily and turn in early for the night.  
The sound of it was lovely, though Espio knew it was only a fantasy. Nothing ever went so easily for the Chaotix Detective Agency. He had a strange knot in his stomach as he pushed the brass key into the lock of the door. His intuition never failed him, and he was certain that there was something off about the building he was about to enter. No, he wasn’t nervous as he stepped onto the museum-branded rug and shut the door quietly behind him. But, he couldn’t deny the eeriness that lingered between the exhibits at his left side.  
It was dark, but he was offered dim light that emitted above the skeletons of suspended dinosaur fossils. As he walked between them, he observed his surroundings. In each corner of every exhibit, indicated by a blinking green light, was one security camera that swiveled and rotated to capture all angles of the room. He assumed that this meant that the cameras were still operating normally, which meant that he still had plenty of time.  
There was a sudden crackling in his earpiece followed by Vector’s booming voice.  
“Hey, buddy, where are you at?”  
After wincing and turning the volume on his earpiece down significantly, Espio whispered a response. “Dinosaurs. Where are the ancient artifacts?”  
“Third floor, just past the women’s restrooms”  
“Roger.”  
He found himself climbing a staff-only staircase that hid behind the dinosaur exhibit. Once he reached the second floor, he was able to overlook the massive hanging dinosaur bones from a balcony. There was also plenty of light up there since it wasn’t being obstructed. Dust twinkled above the exhibit like ghoulish snow. It was picturesque, especially with the cityscape visible all around them beyond the glass windows. If he had the time, he’d sit and capture the moment. Maybe do some deep meditation. Alas, he had a job to do. So, he turned from the scene and maneuvered around the second floor slowly, squeezing between glass cases containing maps of different planets and meteorites.  
That’s when he heard it. Coming from the ceiling was a rhythmic thumping that seemed to approach from the other room and pause directly above him. He looked up to find an air vent fitted between two column pillars. When he understood what was happening, he backed up and hid behind one of the many glass cases, watching the vent cover as the unthinkable happened right before his eyes.  
One of the four screws on the vent’s grate began to unscrew seemingly on its own, then fell to the ground with a Ting! Espio was certain that there was no way it would be possible for somebody to unscrew the grate from the inside of the vent, and yet… it happened again.  
“Vector.” he whispered into the mic of his earpiece.  
“What?”  
“I’m not alone here.”  
He had to squint to make sure that he wasn’t just seeing things, afterall he had hardly gotten any sleep the night prior. But as the second screw hit the ground he knew that what he was seeing was real. The screw rolled on the tile floor, travelling underneath the case that he was hiding behind, finally stopping when it hit the tip of his shoe. He narrowed his eyes, watching intently as the third screw followed suit. Then finally, as the fourth screw fell from its place on the vent, the entire grate fell from the air duct and clattered onto the floor.  
“Whaddya mean y’aint alone?!”  
Espio didn’t respond, he didn’t want to be heard by whoever’s legs were now dangling from the air duct. It was a girl, a white hedgehog who seemed to be struggling to slowly lower herself down from the ceiling. Her black heeled boots were the first to emerge from the vent. She then descended slowly until her lower half was visible, seemingly struggling to support her own body weight with her arms. Then, without warning, her hand’s grip failed and she plummeted from the tall ceiling.  
Espio’s shoe squeaked against the marble floor as he jerked forward. He intended to run and catch her before she could hurt herself, but he instead halted. She was floating in the air, supported only by a giant black foggy mass. He could feel himself sweating underneath his white collar shirt. Vector was practically yelling in his ear, but Espio didn’t respond. He couldn’t even move. Was he seeing a ghost? The mass contained an aura of hostility that he couldn’t explain, and it gave him goosebumps. As the mass slowly dropped the white hedgehog to the floor, he watched the black fog take the vague shape of another mobian. His intuition was correct, he knew that something off was going on.  
“Thank you, Klaus.” Said the hedgehog girl with an embarrassed and nervous smile. “You know I’m not any good at this, I’m certain we’re going to be caught.” She had an accent, one which Espio hadn’t heard before. She spoke in a very precise and formal fashion, which led the Ninja detective to believe two things about her; that she was foreign and educated. They were there to find an artifact thief, and she was beginning to fit the bill.  
He glanced up at the cameras in the exhibit, but to his surprise, the green blinking lights indicated that they were all functioning properly. They had not gone offline during her entrance like the Museum owner described during the other robberies. He felt odd about the scenario, so instead of revealing his presence to them now and taking them off-guard, he decided to sit and watch for a few minutes longer.  
She was young, he guessed she was perhaps in her late teens or early twenties. She had short white quills which framed her face and curled at the bottom, and sharp golden eyes. The strangest thing about her appearance was a strange mark on her forearm. He couldn’t tell from the distance, but he guessed that it was a tattoo of sorts. She was also dressed as if in uniform, a black blazer over a white blouse, and a plaid purple skirt. She looked very formal, like a business woman. So, he had guessed that if she were the perp, she likely wasn’t in it for the money since she obviously didn’t struggle in that regard. This left Espio with two scenarios.  
One, She had been hired by some organization to pull off a heist. Though, he doubted that theory. Judging by the way that she struggled the entire way down from the vent, she was no high end professional thief.  
Two, She was a lone wolf, with a personal agenda. She was likely very far from her home. It was a small city, and the Chaotix would have certainly heard about a white hedgehog newcomer with an accent. There was no one else accompanying her besides the strange black foggy mobian that stood beside her, and Espio couldn’t decide if it was actually a living creature or a spectre… He wondered if the dead could be considered accomplices. 

There was an otherworldly voice that came from the figure that responded to the girl. “Princess, I don’t mean to alarm you,” It said in a low growl, “But there’s another presence in this room with us.”  
Espio’s eyes widened. That was impossible. There was no way that whatever this creature was, it couldn’t sense him from this distance, completely camouflaged. He hadn’t even made a sound. Espio swallowed his anxiety and continued to watch, hoping that he wouldn’t have to make a run for it. Even though the thing sent a shiver down his spine, he was going to do what he came there to do.  
“I can sense them too,” She replied with a shaky breath while scanning around the room, “What should we do, Klaus?”  
“I’ll follow you to the third floor.” replied the fog creature, whose name was apparently Klaus. “If they decide to take us by surprise, I’ll have it handled.”  
The white hedgehog looked over her shoulder in the direction where he stood. Even though he knew he was invisible to them, he felt vulnerable. He knew that it would be best to maintain his composure, but he didn’t like how he felt seen. He watched as the black shadowy mass followed the girl toward the stairs to the third floor. He didn’t allow them out of his sight, yet followed with enough distance so that he could not be heard as he whispered into the mic of his earpiece.  
“Vector--”  
“Espio what the hell is wrong with you? What were you thinking I’ve been sitting in this car yelling for--”  
“No time to explain!” Espio let out a sigh, trying his best to be quiet as he crept up the stairs. “Get up here to the third floor, and stay quiet. The perp is in here with me.”  
“On it!”  
The girl and the shadow creature turned left at the top of the stairs toward the art gallery. Her heeled boots clacked against the white marble floor as she proceeded with her arms hugging herself. As he followed them down a narrow hall of paintings, he noticed her nervous demeanor worsen. Espio thought that it was strange, what reason did she have to be nervous if she had pulled off the other heists without a hitch? While she was eyeing one of the many online security cameras, she tripped over a display table holding a golden, ornately decorated vase-- causing it to topple and fall to the floor. The impact was loud and the shattering echoed through the building. The girl stopped walking and cringed.  
“Sorry! I am so hopeless--” She crouched and began to pick at the shattered vase in an attempt to salvage it, but the black mass stopped her.  
“Princess, there’s no time.”  
“I know but I didn’t come here to cause trouble--”  
“Princess, your brother could be here any minute. We cannot afford to let him find the Hagstone.”  
She looked at the shadow figure, then back toward the vase. “You’re right.” She dropped the pieces of the vase from her hands back onto the floor and continued on her way toward the exhibit of ancient artifacts.  
Espio had heard so many interesting things just now, but he had very little time to process it. Vector approached him from behind, hiding behind a column. Espio revealed himself to his partner briefly, gesturing toward the girl and the shadow figure.  
Vector took one good look at the ghostly figure and gave Espio a look of bewilderment, pointing and mouthing the words: “Espio, what the hell is that?” But, before Espio could respond, the two suspected thieves turned the corner and disappeared from his sight. So instead, he motioned for Vector to follow as he rendered himself invisible again, appearing again at the end of the hall and peeking around the corner to see where they went. Vector was breathing heavily at his side, eyeing the ghoulish creature. Vector was absolutely stilled in fear-- Espio had never seen the Chaotix’s fearless leader in such a state of shock. It probably wasn’t the distraction he had hoped for, but it was a distraction nonetheless.  
The detectives, tucked out of sight behind the corner of the hallway, watched the thieves enter a dimly lit circular room. It was a stunning exhibit, swords were displayed behind glass on the tall white walls alongside banners and golden crests that one might expect inside of a castle. Along the perimeter of the room were five short pillars, four of which were empty. Atop the fifth pillar in the middle of the wall in the center of the room was a long and flat, circular rock with a hole in the middle.  
“Extraordinary…” Said the girl, gawking in wonder as her eyes traveled from the items all over the walls, to the glass sky roof. Moonlight poured from the panes, illuminating the stone from above. “They took all of this from home...”  
It seemed that she didn’t even notice it at first until she followed the trail of dust that glittered in the ray of moonlight, and her gaze ultimately fell upon the stone. She let out a gentle gasp, her eyes widening as she approached the artifact. With her black leather gloves, she reached out toward it slowly. She hesitated, her hands hovering just above the object.  
“Somehow it looks so much more mundane than I expected…” She whispered breathily to the shadow figure at her side. When her hands moved closer to the stone, Espio gave Vector a serious look. Vector understood this familiar look as something that meant: “Let’s go.” But Vector was clearly still in shock, and shook his head. He responded with a wide-eyed expression that, to Espio, meant: “Are you crazy?!”  
Espio rolled his eyes and grabbed his partner by the wrist, pulling the massive crocodile out from the hallway alongside him.  
“Hey!” He shouted, prompting the girl and the ghost to turn to face the two detectives. Espio reached for a kunai from his harness. “Hands where I can see them.”  
The white hedgehog gasped and spun to face them, and the shadow figure made an attempt to rush them. Acting quickly, Espio flung the kunai in the direction of the girl. The knife landed erect , embedded in the marble floor just inches from her left boot. The ghost stopped as Espio reached for another kunai.  
“I have a sharper aim than military machinery.” Said Espio with a nod toward the girl. “Make a single move toward that artifact and I won’t hesitate.” She looked him in the eyes, looking thoroughly frazzled. She put her hands up and managed to maintain a calm demeanor. The shadow, however, cackled with it’s deep dark voice.  
“Is that a threat, Chameleon?” It asked, amused. “You don’t even know what’s happening here, do you?”  
“Excuse me?! That thing can talk?!” Vector pointed a shaky finger at the mass. Both the ghost and Espio ignored him.  
“I’m keen on current events, thank you.” Espio responded. “I’m well aware that this one--” He pointed the kunai at the girl. “Broke into the museum every night, for four nights. She stole four other artifacts from this very same exhibit, and tonight she’s back for more.”  
“You should be thanking this girl!” The shadow figure erupted in a sudden rage. “You should be on your hands and knees!” Espio felt a shockwave of malevolent energy as the black misty figure shouted at him in an otherworldly, demonic voice. He knew what this energy was, yet somehow he couldn’t bring himself to believe it. Vector cowered as the mass advanced toward them slowly. Espio readied his aim at the girl, standing his ground.  
“Klaus!” the girl stopped the figure in its tracks, reaching out to it with one of her raised hands. “Calm yourself, please. They’re just doing their job, let’s not hassle them.”  
The figure maintained its threatening aura directed at the detectives for just a moment longer, but gave in to the white hedgehog’s reasoning. It retreated to her side. Then, she attempted a friendly smile.  
“Let’s not make hasty decisions, yeah?”  
“Identify yourself.” Said Espio, ignoring her.  
She cleared her throat and eyed the kunai in his hand. “My name is Winona. I’m not here to cause trouble.”  
“It certainly looks like it.” Espio replied.  
“Princess,” Whispered the black figure, “We don’t have time for this.”  
“Look,” Said the girl named Winona, “If I let this stone get into the wrong hands, something very bad is going to happen. It’s my responsibility to keep it safe. If it stays here, it’s not safe.”  
Espio glanced at Vector, whose bewilderment only heightened as they spoke to the two odd perpetrators. He was going to have to accept that Vector was going to be little to no help.  
“I don’t believe you.” Espio spoke bluntly, dismissing her story entirely. “I suggest you give it up now before this situation escalates.”  
“Escalates?” The ghost laughed. “Do you even realize what it is you are speaking to right now?”  
The answer was no, Espio had no idea what the hell he was talking to, but he wasn’t about to let whatever it is intimidate him. The tension between himself and the dark figure was thick, and it’s aura made him sweat. Espio was damned determined to get this job over with. He was tired and frankly, he didn’t want to get involved with whatever that thing was. He knew deep down that there was something twisted about the creature. So, the quicker the situation was dealt with, the better.  
But then, out of nowhere, a feeling of absolute dread washed over him and an odor of sulfur filled the air. He saw another creature now out of the corner of his eyes. It appeared behind the girl, growing in size as it looked down at her.  
“What is that?” Vector asked in a whisper, pointing a shaky finger at the second creature. The girl began to slowly turn as the thing raised a massive clawed hand. She gasped as she laid her eyes upon the thing, and she had made an attempt to get away before it swiped it’s claws down at her.  
She wouldn’t have made it if Espio hadn’t jumped through the black shadow figure and pushed her out of the way. He landed on top of her, and he had planned to send the shuriken between his fingers flying in the creature’s direction-- but he was suddenly blinded.  
His vision was invaded by a white light, and his ears began to ring horribly. All five of his senses were being attacked, and the ringing began to intensify. It was overwhelming to the point that he felt himself lose control over his body. He was floating now--  
It was then that Espio fully lost consciousness.


	2. 2

Crickets chirped in the bitter cold. Artificial leaves rustled in the artificial wind. Not even the dirt on which he was sprawled felt real. A groan escaped his lips as he forced his aching body to rise. It felt as if he had fallen from the sky and belly-flopped onto the ground. He had managed to get himself into a sitting position and from there he was able to prop himself against a tree.  
A tree, huh? Confused, he found himself sitting in a dark, odd-looking forest. He was in a clearing, his eyes shifting all around, peering into the thick foliage that surrounded him. The trees didn’t seem normal. They were dull and lifeless, yet seemed perfectly strong at the same time. The colors of the plants weren’t quite right either. Rather than a healthy green, the leaves of the trees were a muted teal color, and the bushes at the base of the trunks were grey. Wherever he was, he was no longer anywhere close to the museum that they were investigating. Hell, he wasn’t even sure that he was still on Mobius.  
There was a moan that came from behind a tree across from him, and he hovered a cautious hand over a kunai. When the figure behind the tree revealed themselves, he let out a quiet sigh of relief. Vector was holding his head in his hand as if he were in pain, shuffling from behind the trunk. Espio struggled to his feet, using the tree behind him to support himself.   
“Espio… what happened? Where are we?” The Crocodile looked groggy as if he had just awakened from a nap.   
“I wish I could tell you. I haven’t the slightest clue.” Espio responded, wincing. “This forest… something isn’t right about it.”  
“It’s weird here, for sure… It’s freezin’ too, in the middle of the summer--” Vector shivered and reached into his pocket. “Shit, you’ve gotta be kidding me!” He turned the pockets of his leather jacket inside-out. “My cigs are gone!”   
Espio chuckled. “That’s what you get.”  
“Have some empathy, will you?”  
“We have bigger things to worry about, Vector.” Said Espio as he reached his partner’s side, holding his right rib and flinching as he walked. “We need to figure out where we are, and how to get home.”  
Vector grumbled. “You’re right, but are you in any shape to be walking? What even happened to you?”  
“I don’t know. Don’t worry about me, it’s not that bad.” He lied, pushing past his partner and trekking into the forest. “Any idea what time it might be?”  
“Let’s see, the heist was supposed to take place at 12:15…” Vector raised a finger to his chin, “I’d assume at least a couple hours have passed since then…” As he followed Espio between the trees of the unfamiliar forest, Vector seemed to remember the events leading up to their current predicament. “Hey... What’s the last thing you remember before waking up here?”  
“I remember being ambushed by a horned creature the likes of which I’ve never seen before.” Said Espio in an almost too casual tone. “It was going to strike the museum thief but then--”  
“Then you played Mr. Hero and pushed her outta the way--”  
“But then,” Espio continued, ignoring him. “There was a white light.”  
“Speakin’ of, have you ever felt anything like that before? It was spooky…” Vector shivered as he finished his sentence, crunching twigs and leaves under his feet as his long strides sent him ahead of his Chameleon partner. Espio wasn’t sure how he could answer Vector without frightening him. Now that he was reminded of the light, he was also reminded of a time long ago when he had experienced the same milky light. That was when Espio knew deep in his core that he’d been in this place before, but he was going to wait until his suspicions were confirmed before he would admit it.   
“It’s definitely uncanny…”  
The two detectives navigated through the forest in silence, pushing away any branches in their way. Above them, they could see nothing but the black silhouette of the canopy of leaves against the starry purple sky. It was the thickest forest Espio had ever been in, and it proved to be quite aggravating to traverse. It was thirty minutes into their walk when they had finally come upon another clearing where they decided to stop to rest. As Espio leaned up against the bark of a tree trunk, he noticed something that he thought was strange. It seemed that Vector noticed the same thing too.  
“There are footprints here,” Vector commented, crouching down onto the sandy dirt in the clearing. “Someone’s here with us.”  
The Chameleon felt a pit in his stomach as his worries were validated. “No,” Espio glanced across the clearing to see a mark on the ground at the base of a tree trunk. “We went in a circle, look.” He pointed at the footprints in question, then lifted his right foot revealing an identical print in the dirt beneath his shoe.   
“What?! That’s not possible, we went straight!”  
Espio shook his head as undesirable memories began to bubble at the surface of his mind. Memories of when he had been in this exact same forest years ago. He pushed the unpleasant thoughts down, forcing himself to accept the reality of what had happened to them. “Vector, I need to tell you something.” He swiveled on his heels to face his partner, but his attention was instead drawn to a bright, warm orange light approaching from behind Vector.   
“What, what is it?”  
Espio looked over Vector’s shoulder and squinted, prompting Vector to spin and face whoever was approaching them. The light poured warmth over their faces as it got closer. Its source was a little gas lantern that was held in a dainty leather-gloved hand. As the person approached, Espio met eyes with a familiar white hedgehog.  
“Ah, I’m glad you haven’t traveled far.” Winona smiled at the detectives, “How’s the Spirit Realm treating you?”  
Espio flinched in pain as he pushed past Vector to face her. “What happened? We were killed, weren’t we?” His persistence may have come off as aggressiveness because the girl stepped back a bit and put a hand up defensively.   
“Spirit realm…? Killed…?” Vector was lost and couldn’t seem to understand anything that was being said. He tapped his chest with his hand. “No, I’m not a ghost like that thing we saw at the museum. I feel pretty alive right now.”  
Espio knew better than Vector when it came to subjects related to spirits. He’d studied them, just like any other ninja from his home. He didn’t expect Vector to be able to wrap his head around what had happened so quickly.   
“No, you’re mistaken.” Winona said, looking Espio in the eye as she spoke, “Nobody was killed. I brought you here to get away from that demon, who surely would have killed us had I not.”  
“That’s impossible.” Espio insisted, “There isn’t a Mobian alive capable of willing themselves into the Spirit Realm without years and years of self discipline, I should know better than anyone.”   
“I had intended to repay you for saving my life earlier,” Winona said, looking a bit impatient, disregarding Espio’s confusion, “These woods aren’t safe for mortal souls, and if we don’t start walking soon, you’ll be eaten alive.”  
“Whaddya mean we’ll be eaten alive?!” Vector shouted from behind Espio, flailing and gesturing wildly. Espio looked out into the forest. There was a haunting feeling that intensified the longer they stayed in one spot. It was as if there was a predator out there somewhere watching them, waiting for the perfect moment to pounce. Paranoia would surely settle in soon if they didn’t keep moving.   
“She’s right, Vector.” Espio turned to his partner. “I may think she’s a liar but she’s right about one thing--” He turned to peer into the forest that surrounded them once again. “--This forest will swallow us whole.”  
“No, no, no.” Vector shook his head and put a hand up, “I’m not movin’ until somebody gives me an explanation! This--” He vaguely gestured toward Espio and Winona, “--Is crazy talk.” Vector then placed himself between the two of them. “I’m gonna need an explanation for everything, because I’m beginnin’ to believe that I’m dreaming and that this isn’t real life.”  
“I guess I owe you both that much since I brought you here with no warning.” Winona replied, turning her back to them. “We can walk and talk, how about that?” The detectives looked at each other and nodded, following the girl carefully as she led them through the forest. As they walked, her lantern’s light seemed to alter their environment and expose a path that was not there before. “Let’s see, where should we start?”  
“From the top.” Said Vector, “Where are we really? How did we get here?”  
“Your Chameleon friend and I have already told you,” She replied. “You’re in the Spirit Realm. Where I come from, we call it the Aether. You may doubt me, but I really did bring you here, as much as you don’t want to believe me--”  
“How is that possible?” Espio interrupted, “The only people who are capable of visiting the Spirit Realm have sworn their entire lives to meditation. Even then, it cannot be done in mere seconds!”  
“You Chameleons in the Shinobi clan are certainly spiritually gifted, but your clan seems to have forgotten about us Aetherborns.” Winona’s words left Espio positively shocked. There was no way that she should know anything about his clan. They lived a life of secrecy, secluded from civilization. The girl continued to speak with nonchalance, “Probably because our alliance was as short-lived as our monarchy.”  
“Alliance? Monarchy?” Espio stopped walking. “Even if there was an alliance I would have certainly heard of it.”   
Winona ignored him and instead responded with a question of her own. “What’s your name, Chameleon?”  
“Espio, and this is my partner Vector. We’re from the Chaotix Detective Agency.”  
“Espio, hmm?” She seemed to ponder a moment. “ How old are you?”  
“Twenty.”   
She considered this for a second, putting a finger to her chin before responding, “Oh, well, our alliance ended ten years ago, and the trade visitations ended twenty years ago on the day that I was born. That’d probably be why you never heard of us. My mother was good friends with your clan’s leader… I forget what she was called…” She looked up into the sky as she pondered once again. Although Espio hardly understood anything that she was saying regarding this supposed ‘monarchy’, he was thoroughly interested in everything she might know about his clan. “The Bride of Constant… something or other--”  
“Y’mean Espio’s mom?” Vector asked, confused. “What a small world it is.”  
“The Bride of Constant Vigil. She’s my master as well as my mother.” Espio sighed. “Well, if you know that much, I’m tempted to believe you.”  
“Just tempted?”  
“I have yet to see proof.” Said Espio with a smirk. “I still don’t believe it’s possible. How does one visit the Spirit Realm on a whim?”  
“I’m afraid the answer is quite complicated, and I don’t have the time to explain. You’ll just have to take my word for it, detective.”  
Espio let out an unconvinced “Hmph.” And watched her carefully as she walked. She didn’t look like she was lying, in fact she looked rather smug. He didn’t want to just take her word for it, but it seemed he didn’t have a choice. The smile on his face quickly faded when he was reminded of his surroundings.   
“This forest…” Espio swallowed a lump in his throat as he steadied his expression, “It’s malevolent. Why?”  
“To be honest, I don’t come to this place unless it’s necessary. I don’t know a whole lot about it, but I do know that it was meant to be a limbo.”  
“Limbo?” Vector gulped. “Isn’t that where souls go when they have unfinished business or something?”  
“Not necessarily.” Winona answered, her eyes focused on the path ahead of them. “The concept is a little more complex than that, not even I completely understand the purpose of the Winding Woods. All I know is that demons take advantage of the mortal souls who are trapped here. It’s a demonic feeding ground. They like to wait until the soul feels nothing but despair from walking for hours and hours in circles. Apparently they’re so much more delicious after prolonged suffering.”  
Vector gave Espio a wide-eyed look of pure terror, then eyed between the trees cautiously. Winona noticed his sudden change in demeanor and laughed nervously.  
“I promise you have nothing to worry about, this lantern acts as a ward.” She lifted the light in her hands, then offered it to Vector with a smile on her face. As the Crocodile took it into his own hands, his expression eased. It pacified his terror, and he became totally distracted.   
“Woah… It’s so relaxing… It feels magical”   
“See? You’re perfectly safe.”  
Espio watched her as she smiled as if she were very proud of herself for easing Vector’s mind. He wasn’t exactly sure how to feel at the given moment. Obviously, the situation wasn’t ideal. He hated walking through this forest, being forced to remember everything that happened on that mission… but there was something about Winona’s presence that made him feel so much better about it, it helped that she certainly seemed like a veteren when it came to the Spirit Realm. Despite the fact that he doubted most of her claims, he had no doubt that she had good intentions. Her act of kindness toward his partner and best friend began to change his perspective on their little museum thief.   
“Alright, next question.” Said Espio, “That creature that attacked us in the museum, was that also a demon?”  
“Correct.” Winona replied.   
“And the black mist named Klaus?”  
“Also a demon.” She responded. “Though not at all the same.”  
“I think it’s odd that you’d keep such company.”   
Winona’s pleasant smile turned to a frown. She had clearly taken offense to Espio’s comment. “Klaus is a good friend to me.” She said quietly, “He may be frightening, but he’s nothing short of noble.”  
“Apologies… I didn’t mean it that way. The elders of my clan are very adamant about avoiding demonic energies--”  
“The rules of your clan are not universal, Chameleon.”  
She stepped ahead of them, keeping her back turned to them for the remainder of the walk. Vector nudged Espio in the ribs, causing him even more pain.  
“What did you do that for?”  
“I didn’t think she’d take it that way!” Espio whispered defensively.  
Vector let out a sigh of exasperation. “Listen buddy, you’ve gotta be more sensitive about this. We don’t need your analytical ninja spy brain ruining this for us! This place is scary and I would like to go home as soon as possible.”  
“She said it herself, we’re entitled to answers.” Espio said in a desperate attempt to justify what he said.   
“Right, but maybe we should be careful about how we get those answers, yeah? We have no idea where we are right now, I think the last thing we want to do is piss off our tour guide.”  
Espio grumbled in agreement, watching the girl carefully as she walked ahead of them. He was beginning to wish he hadn’t said that, although he didn’t understand what was offensive about his comment in the first place. They still had such an incomplete picture of what was going on, and what exactly had happened in the museum was still unclear. Their number one priority was getting out of this place, but he couldn’t help but be extremely curious about Winona and why she knew so much that he didn’t.   
“So, uh, Winona, was it?” Vector asked. She didn’t answer, so he continued. “… We’re willing to just forget the whole museum fiasco if you can find us a way home.”  
“I plan on it.” She replied, “But it’ll have to wait. I have to do something first.”  
The trees began to thin out as they walked farther and farther. The overall atmosphere felt lighter, as if the weight of twisted and uncomfortable energy was lifted. The air became so much easier to breathe, and the paranoid feeling that they were being watched dissipated. She brought them to the edge of the forest where there was open space. Vector sighed in relief as they neared a cliff, where there was a trail overlooking a massive prairie of flowers. It was beautiful, and it rendered them breathless.   
Espio couldn’t believe what he was seeing. He’d spent his childhood pouring over stories about this place, but he could see now that none could accurately portray its ethereal beauty. The moonlight reflected in the waters of a heart shaped lake that sat at the base of a mountain in the distance. He hadn’t seen it at first, but at the peak of the mountain was the silhouette of a castle. It was architecturally bizarre, complete with pointed towers and strong stone walls. It looked as if it was ripped from the pages of one of Charmy’s old story books.  
“Woah, what is that place?”  
“Just a replica of a place that existed once in The Realm of the Living…” She sighed,“Well, this is where we part for now.”  
“Wait, what?” Vector gave her a fearful look. “You’re just going to leave us here?”  
“For now,” She said, “I have to go up there and hopefully talk some sense into my homicidal brother.” She pointed to the fortress atop the mountain. “Don’t worry, I’ll come back for you.” She began to walk away from them toward a trail leading to the base of the cliff, but Espio reached out to stop her.  
“You can’t just leave us here! How do we know you’ll even come back? We might as well find another way out of this place!”  
“You won’t find another way.” She said, annoyed, twirling a quill. “I’m your only ticket out of here. Now, you two be good little boys and wait here for me patiently.”  
“No. I need your word that you’ll come back for us. Otherwise, we’re coming with you.” Espio responded, refusing to yield to her dominant tone.  
She turned to face him with a frown, reflecting his own intense glare. Vector cleared his throat nervously as he watched Winona and Espio stare each other down. They were both stubborn, but Espio refused to submit. The tension lasted for a minute until Winona ultimately gave in, sighing and shaking her head.  
“I don’t have time for this. You can’t come with me.” She said, reaching into her pocket. “Here,” She handed him the circular stone that was at the Ancient Artifacts exhibit at the museum. “I’ll have to come back for this. So if you lose it so help me god, I will--”   
Espio gave her a smug smile. “Rest assured, I’ll take good care of it.”  
Winona rolled her eyes in defeat and turned away from them promptly, but midway she stopped herself and faced them again. “Don’t make me regret this, please. I’m going to give you both a circle of protection so nothing can touch you.” Then, without warning, her eyes began to glow, and a ghostly teal aura surrounded her as she lifted her hands, conjuring a blue opaque line of arcane letters that encircled them. Then, when her eyes returned to normal, she faced them one last time. “I am literally begging you to stay put, for your wellbeing and my own.”  
“Understood.” Said Espio.  
“Scout’s honor!” Vector replied.  
She gave them a doubtful look before following the trail down the edge of the cliff, eventually disappearing from their sight as she reached the prairie below. The two detectives were then left in her circle together. Vector crouched to inspect it, waving his hand through it’s otherworldly aura. Meanwhile, Espio examined the strange stone.   
It didn’t feel special, in fact it just felt like an ordinary rock. If it wasn’t for the circular hole in the middle of it, he’d say it was the least interesting thing he’s ever seen. Winona, whoever she was, seemed to believe that the object was really important. As they sat in the circle, Espio leaned closer to Vector.  
“Hey, you said the exhibit that this is from originated from is about some monarchy right? Did the client give you any other information besides that?”  
“No, not really.”   
“Hmm…” He tossed the stone around gently in his hands, looking up at the castle in the distance. “That Demon she was with… didn’t it call her “Princess”?”  
“You think I was paying attention to anything that thing was saying?”  
Espio sighed, “No, you’re right. You were too busy cowering.”  
“Hey whaddya think this is made out of?” Vector waved his hand through the circle on the ground. “Magic or something?”  
“That’s a good question.” Espio lowered his aching body onto the grass, waving his own hand through the foggy circle. It felt interesting, that's for sure. It made his fingers tingle as it emitted a buzzing noise that one would expect from a fluorescent light fixture in a grocery store. It was odd, and he’d never experienced anything quite like it. However, after a good long while of waiting for Winona to return, it lost its wonder and the two detectives grew bored of the sensation.   
The two were seated there at the cliff for an hour, and Espio wanted to make a constructive use of his time by connecting the dots. While Vector snored while sprawled on the ground at his side, Espio recalled the events leading up to their disappearance from the museum. He rummaged his mind for any information regarding the exhibit that the stone in his hands belonged to, but he just couldn’t think of anything that might give him an idea of what alliance Winona was talking about. Frustrated, he laid on the grass to allow his body to rest.   
‘So this is the Spirit Realm, huh?’   
The place didn’t feel much different from Mobius, but he did note the dream-like atmosphere that carried in each gust of wind. It was so peaceful that the afterlife was beginning to look a lot less threatening now that he was out of that forest. He still felt rather on edge, afterall, they were only sitting a few feet away from the woods. But he had to admit, the concept of death was beginning to look a lot less intimidating. Just then, he began to wonder about the suspicious lack of Spiritual activity. Surely they would have seen a Spirit or two by now, right?   
Curious, he sat himself upright again and put himself in a cross-legged position. If they were going to be waiting awhile, he may as well try and meditate. He thought perhaps he’d be able to open himself up Spiritually and learn more about this place. He steadied his breathing and allowed his mind to descend into a state of relaxation. However, before he could get very far into his meditation, his ears were assaulted by a very loud and sudden explosion that shook the ground beneath him.  
When he opened his eyes, he immediately noticed clouds of smoke billowing up into the deep purple night sky. Vector sat up in surprise, mumbling something incoherently. There was another BOOM that made Espio jump to his feet, and they watched as the castle walls at the mountain's peak began to crumble and fall. To make matters worse, their circle of protection given to them by Winona flickered, then disappeared.   
“That can’t be good!” Vector shouted to Espio as there was one last explosion that shook the ground so severely that it swept them from their feet. The two detectives watched in horror as a roof of one of the castle towers blew off of the entire building, shot with such force that it fell from the mountain side. Then, a massive black beam shot from the tower up into the sky, and from their spot on the cliff they could see cloudy flying creatures appearing from nowhere, encircling the mountain. “What just happened?!” Yelled Vector, pointing at the mountain.  
“I don’t know,” Espio replied, “But we’d better go make sure our tour guide isn’t dead!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I hope you're having a good day. If you enjoyed reading I would appreciate a Kudos or a comment!! It's really motivating <3


	3. 3

The trek up the side of the mountain was exceptionally exhausting, and Espio was practically wheezing as they reached the peak, holding his side and taking a second to breathe. The climb wouldn’t have been nearly as difficult for him if it weren’t for the piercing pain in the side of his chest. It was becoming so extreme that he was beginning to suspect that he had broken a rib.   
Vector gave him a worried look, “Hey buddy, maybe you should take a break. You’re not lookin’ so good” Espio shook his head in response, his pride refusing to allow him to look his partner in the eye. He pointed upward at the creatures looming and swarming around the castle’s watchtowers in the distance.  
“Best to assume they’re not friendly. We should get out of sight.” He said as he strode past the Crocodile, pushing past the pain as they entered a sort of courtyard beneath a stone-arched entrance.   
It seemed as though the circular garden was originally meant to serve as a centerpiece to the building, but now that the front of the fortress was nothing more than brick and rubble imbedded in the dirt from the force of the blast they’d seen earlier, the garden now served as an entrance to the backside of the castle, which remained intact but severely damaged. It was a pretty area despite the ruined, headless sculptures and destroyed fountain in the middle. Rose bushes and vines outlined the perimeter, climbing the brick and stained glass windows on the walls.   
They followed a cobblestone path around the fountain to a collapsed wall on the east side of the building. Carefully, they climbed over the rubble. Once on the inside of the castle, they found themselves inside of the biggest library they’d ever seen. The sheer number of books in the room was astonishing. They lined the walls, nearly three stories high all the way up to the painted ceiling that depicted images of angelic creatures surrounded by pink and white clouds. There was a great number of books strewn about haphazardly, while others sat atop long wooden tables in massive stacks.   
“Woah.” Said Vector, “Look at the detail on that mural.” His partner was so distracted by the beauty and detail in the painting above that he hadn’t noticed the creature lurking in the corner, feasting on something beneath a desk. Espio hadn’t seen it either until he heard the crack of a bone beneath the creature’s sharp, yellowed teeth. Quickly, he pushed Vector to the floor and covered his mouth as the thing rose from its spot in the corner, curious about the noise it had heard. Espio swallowed a lump in his throat as the thing revealed itself, and Vector’s eyes widened in terror.  
The demon stood tall, it’s horned head reaching the height of the arched doorway behind it as it passed through the row of long tables, pushing the books on the floor aside with its feet. A bead of sweat rolled from Espio’s temple. The demon’s aura magnified as it neared their spot beneath the table. An odor of sulfur overwhelmed their noses and a feeling of dread swept over them like a veil of smoke as it came and went. The wait was agonizing, but once it exited the room, they felt immediate relief. The detectives sprung from their hiding place as soon as the coast was clear. They hurried from the library to a hallway, where a spiral staircase sat at the very end.   
“Don’t tell me that this place is gonna be crawling with them things!” Vector whispered. “What did we get ourselves into?!”  
“Vector, calm down--”  
“Calm down?! Did you see that thing?! Did you feel it?!” The normally fearless, unbothered Crocodile was shaking and panicking, undoubtedly influenced by the demon’s supernatural, malicious energy. Vector’s eyes darted about feverishly like an animal hiding from a predator. That’s when Espio knew that this situation was beyond anything they’d previously dealt with.   
He suddenly remembered the words of his mother, before she was his Master, warning him to stay away from the cave beyond the bamboo grove on the outskirts of their village. The legend lived in the minds of many great Shinobi-- they all collectively held the superstition that there was a demon living in that cave. A demon so powerful that it was capable of breaking your mind, using nothing but its own aura. 

“Mortals do not meddle with demonic entities for the same reason that school fish distance themselves from sharks.” He recalled his mother saying as she dressed him for his first day of training, “Because they are predators, and we are their prey.”

Espio himself could feel his emotions being manipulated by the demonic energy. He was growing agitated with his partner, even though Vector was right to be afraid. He forced his annoyance down into his gut, taking a deep breath in an attempt to focus his mind. They walked right into a mousetrap, and their survival depended on him keeping a level head.   
“Vector, listen to me.” He grabbed his partner by the shoulders. “You have to be calm. If you lose your cool now, we’ll never get out of here. You want to get out of here, don’t you?”  
“Of course I do!” Vector shouted, “But exploring this castle is suicide! Let’s just wait here and hope Winona finds us!”  
Espio felt the rage in his stomach bubble up to his esophagus. He felt a force that wasn’t his own completely take over his mind. “We have no fucking choice, Vector!” For the very first time, Espio abandoned his typical demeanor and swore at his best friend. “I won’t sit here and die with you, so you can either come with me up these stairs or continue to cower all by yourself!”   
Vector blinked. He had never heard Espio speak to him with such venom, let alone raise his voice at him. Espio was just as shocked and acted as though the voice that had just come out of his mouth wasn’t his own. It might have sounded like him, but it definitely was not him. It seemed that even Espio wasn’t immune to the power of the demons in the castle. Shame washed over his face and he looked away from Vector.  
“L-Let’s just go.”  
Vector puffed and straightened his back, looking down at the Chameleon with anger that Espio didn’t even know he was capable of, blocking him from the staircase. He didn’t know that regular old, laid back Vector could look so intimidating. Espio didn’t want to fight his friend, but every time he took a step back, Vector advanced on him. Espio couldn’t even recognize him, the influence must have taken over him completely.   
Before anything could have happened between the detectives, however, Espio watched a burlap sack be thrown from behind Vector and obscure his partner’s head. In shock, Espio turned his head to run, but his vision was immediately obscured by another burlap sack. It was tightened around his neck with a string, and he felt his body be lifted by someone much bigger than him.   
“Hey! What’s goin’ on?!” He heard Vector yell. Espio felt himself being carried, and whoever it was carrying him tightened their grip around his chest, squeezing his injury.  
“An ambush?!” He gasped in response as he struggled, kicking and frantically fighting the grip of their attacker. No matter how hard he tried, he could not reach for his shuriken or kunai. Every time he did, his torso would be squeezed even harder. He made one final attempt but stopped when he heard a crack in his chest. If his rib wasn’t broken before, it certainly was now. He had no choice but to go limp in his attacker’s arms. The pain was searing, and it felt even worse when he was dropped suddenly onto a cold concrete surface.   
He got onto his hands and knees and groaned as he heard the sound of a metal gate closing. He backed himself into a corner, leaned against a brick wall, and pulled the burlap bag off of his head. He blinked and gasped for air as he looked about to find the assailant, but they were already long gone. They were left inside of a concrete prison, iron bars shut behind them closed tightly with a giant lock.   
Vector was flailing about, shouting incoherently with the bag over his head. Carefully, Espio stood and pinched the burlap sack off of his partner’s head. Vector looked at him, confused. Then, his head swiveled around frantically as he tried to figure out where they were taken.   
Espio could tell that the demon’s influence had faded. He no longer felt agitated, and to his relief, Vector looked like he had also calmed down exponentially. His partner looked at him sadly. Regret filled Vector’s eyes.   
“Dude, I was just about to really give it to you, y’know that?” Vector scratched the back of his head. “Sorry, I-I dunno what came over me.”  
Espio coughed and shook his head, “Forget about it.” He replied dismissively. “That wasn’t you back there.”  
“And what you said--”  
“Let’s not talk about that,” Espio interrupted the Crocodile before he could say anything about his outburst.   
“You’re right.” Said Vector awkwardly, “Let’s just--”  
“Look here, we’ve got two detectives who can’t follow simple directions.” The detectives hadn’t even noticed Winona sitting inside of the cell across from theirs. She was cross-legged and held a satchel with a strange logo in her lap. In her right hand was a lit candle, which she held out in front of her in order to see them in the dark, wet cell block. “If you would have just sat on that cliff, I would have been back for you eventually.”  
“I sincerely doubt that.” Said Espio, eyeing the huge metal lock on the gate of her jail cell. “Your circle disappeared, then the castle exploded. We thought you were in trouble. You should be more grateful that you aren’t stuck here alone.”   
“I wouldn’t have been stuck here for long, Klaus is coming for me.” Winona crossed her arms. “You should have waited. You’ve put yourself in danger by coming here.”  
“No, you put us in danger by bringing us here!” Espio exclaimed as he gripped one of the cell bars to keep himself from falling over. “I demand that you tell us everything. Every last detail.”  
Winona seemed to consider his words, shaking her head with a sigh. “You’re right, I suppose. I do feel bad about getting you both wrapped up in all of this.” She looked up out of the thin window just below the ceiling of her holding cell. “I guess I’ll start by telling you that explosion earlier, and the demons… that is all my brother’s doing.”  
“Y’ mean the homicidal one?” Asked Vector with a furrowed brow.  
“Yes,” She answered. “You saw that beam out there didn’t you?” The detectives looked at each other and nodded. “He did that too. It’s a drill of sorts.” She continued with a grim expression, “He’s attempting to break through the veil between the Spirit Realm and the Realm of the Living. He’s been sealed here in the Spirit Realm for his crimes, and he’s bitter because I have two things that he doesn’t”  
“The stone? Isn’t that what he wants?” Espio asked through a grunt as the pain in his ribcage throbbed.  
“Yes. Believe it or not, that stone that you’re holding in your pocket can make my brother’s fantasy of escaping the Spirit Realm a reality. If that happens, I can promise you that the effects that would have on the Realm of the Living would be devastating.” Espio felt the stone in the pocket of his black slacks as he listened to her words. It was hard to believe that an object with such power was just sitting on top of a display at a museum. They could do nothing but assume that she was telling the truth.  
“What crime did he commit to warrant a fate like that?” he asked.  
She paused, and he noticed her demeanor shift from prim to anxious and uncertain. She looked as if she was having an internal battle with herself as if it was a struggle to get the words out.  
“Genocide.” Her voice cracked as she said it, shaking her head. “This castle existed once in the physical realm. This place is just a replica of what it once was. The Spirit Realm is good at replicating objects and buildings, but it can’t replicate the people that lived here. I come here hoping to see ghosts, but all I see is empty halls.” She laughed to herself sadly. “Some corners of the Spirit Realm have a suspicious lack of Spirits. Sometimes I wonder if it means something.”  
“He killed everybody in the castle?”  
“And everybody within a sixty mile radius.” She half whispered.  
“Woah.” Vector commented. “That’s a lot of people.”  
Espio fell silent for a moment. He knew she was telling the truth, He could tell by the way that she responded with such vulnerability. But there were details missing, and the detective inside of him needed to know more. Unfortunately, he was going to have to wait until he got the answers he wanted. He felt wrong to continue prodding her with his pressing questions while she looked so fragile, so instead he decided to allow her to continue at her own pace.   
“What’s the second thing that you have that your brother wants?” He asked.  
“Well, you see, our family-- well-- the royal family that I was born into--” She was beginning to struggle to articulate her words, “Every other generation, one will be born with the natural power to manipulate the Aether, and thus we were named the Aetherborns. Some people called us witches and sorcerers, so the name sort of stuck even if it wasn’t entirely accurate. My brother was the first born under my parent’s reign-- Prince Varrick Aetherborn.” She began to fiddle with the hem of her skirt nervously. “However, there was a problem. Typically, the first born male heir to the throne would always be born with The Gift, but Varrick was born powerless. My father didn’t take it very well, he was devastated that their first born son would not take the throne as a sorcerer. He decided to teach Varrick regardless and hoped that he’d show promise later in his life-- but after a few years with no luck, my father grew depressed. Varrick probably felt like a disappointment.” She cleared her throat, “And to top it off, my mother was experiencing fertility issues, and despite their attempts, the King and Queen could not have another child together. It took ten years until my mother would finally become pregnant again. This time with twins.” Winona looked to her feet, “My sister and I were born with the gift, and so my parents celebrated by going as far as to make our birthday a holiday. My brother must have felt so forgotten…”   
The two detectives listened, sitting on the concrete floor like two school children listening to a storybook being read aloud. It sounded like exactly that, a storybook-- a fairytale. It sounded like a fantasy movie that Charmy would force them to watch. Espio was beginning to wonder when his clan came into it, but she never mentioned it. It seemed to be a minute detail, perhaps insignificant to the entire story. He listened to her continue as she shuffled uncomfortably in the cell.  
“Over time, my brother grew jealous… and over even more time, that jealousy turned into rage. When my sister and I turned ten, I entered the Spirit Realm for the first time. My feat made something inside of him snap. I remember there was nothing but chaos, people were running and the walls were falling. All I wanted was to find my sister, but instead I found a demon in the courtyard… Klaus. He told me that there was no time, and that my brother had sold his soul to a demon who promised the end of our family altogether. Klaus escaped with me to the Spirit Realm, and when we returned, there was nothing.” She finished with a whisper, “Nobody survived but myself and Varrick.”  
“That's insane.” Vector said quietly.  
Espio took the stone from his pocket, “And you’re saying that this rock can amplify his power?”  
“Yes. That is why I needed to get to it before he sent one of his demons to fetch it for him.”  
“Oh so he just commands demons?” Said Vector, “That’s great, I love that for us.”  
“Apparently he does. So put that thing away before one of his little demon henchmen finds you with it!” She scolded Espio, who didn’t argue as he put the stone back into his pocket. As if on cue, a metal clanking was suddenly heard echoing from the end of the hallway. The smell of sulfur gagged them, and the two detectives inched as far away from the cell bars as possible, holding their noses. Winona put a finger to her lips, signaling for the two to be quiet as another horned demon made its way to her holding cell. Espio noted how its appearance seemed even worse now that he was seeing it up close. Its skin texture was disgusting. It was reddish in color and looked as if it had been rotting. In some places there were scales, and in others there was thin ratty fur. Like the other demons they’ve seen thus far, it had hooved feet which clacked on the wet concrete floor. Dangling around its clawed finger was a brass ring of keys. Its face was obscured to the detectives as it paused in front of Winona.   
Espio could tell by the way her fists trembled at her sides that she was masking her fear with determination. She looked up at the thing, backing up toward the wall as it pushed the key into the lock of her cell, allowing it to fall to the ground with a loud metal CLANG! They watched warily as it walked into her cell and towered over her.  
“I told you before.” She said, “I don’t have the--” Without warning, it grabbed her by the back of her neck. She yelped and kicked her legs as it lifted her off of the ground. Espio and Vector rushed to their cell bars. To Espio’s surprise, Vector found the courage to yell at the creature.  
“Hey, tough guy! That’s a lady you’re manhandling there! Come pick on somebody who ain’t a quarter of your size!”  
Ignoring him, the demon pressed Winona against the wall of her cell as it picked at the satchel around her shoulder, emptying its contents onto the floor. It made a noise as if unsatisfied, then began to poke and prod at her body, lifting her blazer to slowly expose her midriff.   
“What are you doing?!” She gasped as she struggled in its grasp. “I already told you, I don’t have it!” The demon pushed her harder against the wall and she cried out in pain. “Klaus!”  
As if summoned, her demon partner began to rise from the shadow in the corner of her cell. At first, he was nothing but the same foggy mass that Espio had seen in the museum. However, he quickly began to take the shape of a solid form. His face became more defined, revealing the sharp features of a black hedgehog. In his hands he held the hilt of a sword with a black blade, which he plunged into the back of the demon that held Winona onto the wall.   
Espio and Vector looked away promptly as Klaus pulled the sword upward and the demon’s innards fell onto the ground with a wet splash. Vector gagged, his eyes beginning to water as the odor intensified. Winona fell from the wall as the demon’s grip relaxed, landing onto the floor on her knees.   
Ordinarily, Espio was hardly bothered by gore. When he was a full time ninja, it was something he’d see on missions daily. But this-- this was so much more putrid than he was used to. It seemed that Winona couldn’t handle it either, and upon seeing the collapsed giant on the ground, she immediately averted her gaze. Her demon partner had picked up her items and handed to her the bag that was discarded on the floor.   
“Thank you Klaus.” Said Winona quietly as she stepped over the demon’s body carefully. “I apologize if I interrupted your investigation.”  
“Nevermind that, Princess.” Said Klaus in a deep voice as he glanced up at the two detectives in the cell across from them. “He would have crushed you had you not summoned me-- hm?” As Winona bent to pick up the brass key beside the demon’s body, her sleeve lifted to expose a wide burn on her forearm. “You’re hurt?”   
“From the blast earlier,” She explained as she carried the key to the detective’s cell. “It can’t be helped, I have only one potion left and, well,” She unlocked their cell, and Vector let out a sigh of relief. She smiled at Espio and crouched at his side. “You need this more than I do, don’t you?” She pulled from her satchel a little glass vial with a clear liquid.  
“What is it?” Espio asked, giving her a concerned expression as she got closer to him. “What do you mean?”  
“You’re hurt, aren’t you?” She twisted off the cap from the vial.   
“Hmph… hardly.”   
She laughed. “I can hear it in your voice, Chameleon. Now, don’t be stubborn, here--” She handed him the little glass bottle. He looked at her skeptically, then looked at her demon partner. Klaus seemed to have a protective aura about him, and he was staring at Espio with disapproval as if he’d done something wrong. “Trust me, you’re going to want to knock it back like you’re taking a shot.” She continued with a whisper, “It tastes pretty bad.”  
She smiled at him, her caramel eyes glittering. He was stuck there for a minute, unsure if he should feel uncomfortable under Klaus’s gaze or if he should feel comforted by the patient hospitality in Winona’s eyes. He looked down at the bottle and swirled its clear contents. It had the consistency of syrup, but he concluded that it didn’t seem dangerous.   
Espio put the bottle to his lips, and just as she instructed, he knocked it back quickly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, thank you for reading this far. I hope you enjoyed and I hope you're having a good day. I appreciate you taking the time of day to read my silly little story! If you're liking it so far I'd love it if you left a kudos or a comment for me! I am also open to constructive criticism!! Thank you.


	4. 4

The bitter taste of the mystery elixir sent a shiver down his spine. It was gross, worse than cough syrup, but tolerable. It really wasn’t as bad as she had made it out to be.  
“How do you feel?” Winona asked as she watched him with interest. Carefully, using the wall to support himself, he stood to his feet.  
“It’s warm… and it tingles a bit.”  
“Does it hurt?”  
To his surprise, he was able to stretch his body upright effortlessly. He placed a hand where he had previously felt the pain and applied a little pressure. His skepticism completely evaporated. He felt nothing. Actually-- he felt oddly rejuvenated as if he’d taken a long, uninterrupted nap. It was actually the best he’d ever felt in a very long time.   
“No.” He replied. “...Thank you.”  
She really was a witch. He looked her up and down as she smiled that same proud smile that she’d given Vector in the forest. It made him wonder just how such a good-spirited person could stand the energy of a low vibrational being like Klaus. The pair were completely contrasted to one another. Winona, though she seemed a bit highbrow, carried about with her an essence of purity. While Klaus practically radiated malevolence and spite.  
Espio also wondered why Klaus took the shape of a hedgehog. All of the other demonic creatures looked very similar with only minor differences in color or size. Meanwhile, the only demonic thing about Klaus was his soulless, pupil-less, glowing red eyes that seemed to fixate on him-- and only him.  
“Okay, so what do we have to do to get home as fast as possible?” Asked Vector, “If we’ve got to help you pummel this Varrick guy, we will.”  
“Nobody is going to be doing any ‘pummeling,’ detective.” She said politely with an amused smile, “Though, I suppose you both could be of some use to me.” She then put a finger to her chin.  
“Princess, I thought we talked about this…” Klaus leaned in and whispered something in Winona’s ear, all while staring Espio down with viciousness. She seemed to consider whatever it was that Klaus had told her, but she quickly shook her head and disregarded him.  
“I appreciate you looking out for me, Klaus. But, with their help, we might just have an advantage.”  
“Just tell us what needs to be done and we’ll do it. We have a kid waitin’ for us at home, and I’d like to just say that I don’t trust him alone with an oven.” Vector explained, crossing his arms.  
Winona then made an odd expression. She looked at Espio, then at Vector, then to Espio again. She lifted a finger and pointed to them. “So are you two together?”  
Espio and Vector slowly glanced at each other, exchanging thoroughly confused expressions. It took them both a good minute to realize what exactly she was insinuating. When they did, they both distanced themselves from each other, shaking their heads feverishly.   
“...N-No…” Said Espio awkwardly as a vivid intrusive thought, one that he never EVER wanted to see again, invaded his mind. “N-Not that there’s anything wrong with that--”  
“Lady, you’re crazy. I have taste. Even if I was gay, I’d have much higher standards. I mean, look at the guy!” Vector gestured toward Espio. The chameleon raised a brow and chuckled.  
“Would you also prefer older men the way that you prefer older women?” Asked Espio with a smirk. Winona suddenly erupted into laughter but quickly stopped herself, putting her hands to her mouth. Vector laughed and pointed a shaking finger at Espio with eyes that were both incredibly annoyed and amused at the same time.  
“At least I’ve dated somebody. All you do is brood and act like you’re better than everybody!”  
“I do not.” Replied the Chameleon with narrowed eyes.  
“You may not be a couple,” Winona said with a laugh, “But you certainly bicker like one.”  
The three of them had created a lighthearted atmosphere despite the demon’s body lying in the other cell. It was a quick relief that was short-lived, however. Klaus pushed past Winona, huffing angrily.  
“Quit this foolishness.” He seethed, “We have no time for it.” He then left them with an awkward tension as he stomped down the cell block. Vector looked at Espio with wide eyes. Meanwhile, Winona looked embarrassed, with maybe just a glint of sadness in her eye. It gave Espio an odd feeling about their strange dynamic. He felt as though something wasn’t quite right between the two. Regardless, he followed Winona out of the cell with Vector at his side.   
“I apologize on his behalf.” Said Winona quietly, “He’s not fond of new company.”  
“I can tell.” Espio stated, adjusting the white collar of his shirt as he eyed the black hedgehog who faced away from him. Klaus stood at the end of the hall, pushing open a heavy steel door.   
“It’s alright, he seems like a grumpy guy. We know a guy just like that.” Vector commented as Klaus and Winona led them into an empty armory. “So uh, what exactly is the plan here?”  
“Well, for now, you two should stick close to us. We have wards and the demons will avoid us, but if you two stray far I cannot guarantee that they won’t attack you. I’m going to need to get to the Apothecary in the west tower to gather some tools,” She leaned against a door, pressing her ear to it as if listening for movement in the next room, “I suspect that my brother is preparing another blast in the south tower, so we’ll have to be quick. You,” She looked up at Espio, “You said that you have aim sharper than military machinery… are you willing to prove that?”  
“Oh don’t stroke his ego, please--”  
Espio interrupted Vector, “Of course. I don’t bluff.”  
Winona smiled up at him as she pushed open the door. Moonlight poured onto her face and she stood and then stepped onto the roof terrace cautiously, swiveling her head as she watched the skies carefully. Thankfully, the creatures in the sky seemed to be attracted to the beam of blackness that had emerged from the tower toward the east like moths to a light. “Good, follow, and listen closely.” Winona darted across the terrace without warning while Klaus disappeared into her shadow. The detectives looked at each other and nodded, then hurried across the terrace to the west tower. When they reached her side again, she was already inside.  
The apothecary was stocked with all sorts of interesting things. White shelves lined with gold, packed with thick leather-bound books and corked jars with eccentric contents. In the middle of the circular room was a massive golden cauldron surrounded by tall silver candelabra dripping with old white wax caked in dust, and one could assume that the candle’s wicks hadn’t felt the warmth of a flame for many years. Winona browsed the bottles as if she were looking for something specific.   
“Now, if this can go without a hitch, you boys will be home before the sun rises.” She began to pack little pouches with random ingredients, “Flowers… bone dust…” She whispered, “What am I missing?” She dug into her satchel and pulled from it a plain-looking black book and flipped through its pages until it landed on the spot that she desired, marking it with her finger while she read the lines quickly.   
The detectives looked at each other, unsure what to do with themselves as Winona worked and Klaus stared at them from the corner of the room-- watching as if waiting to catch them doing something wrong. Awkwardly, the two detectives stood and waited until Winona was finished. She handed the two of them identical pouches and handed another to Klaus. “I’m going to give the two of you wards, but be careful,” She said as she dug into her bag and pulled out two little crystals, “This isn’t enough to deter a swarm of them. Vector,” She paused in front of the Crocodile, “You will need to bury your pouch beneath the cherry tree in the courtyard. Do you know how to get there?”   
“Yeah, but…” Vector looked down at the pouch with an ounce of skepticism, “I’m sorry, how exactly is this going to be better than just--” He made a quick motion with his fist, simulating a punch, “Poppin’ him right in the face?”  
She smiled again, thoroughly entertained by Vector’s sudden action. “Well, my brother was kept here securely because the walls were bewitched. He’s bringing this castle down because it’s the only thing that can keep him in one spot. If he fails to bust out of the Spirit Realm, he’ll be sure to at least make it so that he can roam freely. I’m afraid a punch won’t be able to keep him here. I’m not a fighter, anyway. I’m very useless in that regard. So, you are going to help me prepare an additional seal while I distract him. However…” She moved on to Espio, setting a little purple crystal in the palm of his hand. “There is a chance that my brother will overpower me, and if that happens, there will be a sticker planted on the terrace under my boot. It’s a bomb. In order to set it off, you’ll have to hit it square in the middle--”  
“But won’t you also be on the terrace?” Asked Espio, concerned. “The terrace would fall. it's suspended nearly fifty feet above the ground. If you aren’t killed by the explosion then the drop would certainly--”  
“How kind it is of you to worry about me, Chameleon--”  
“My name is Espio.”  
“Espio.” She smiled, “There’s no need to worry about that. Klaus wouldn’t let me fall, would you Klaus?” She turned to her demon partner, who straightened his back like a soldier upon meeting her eye.  
“Never, Princess.”  
Espio glanced at Winona, who seemed confident that her plan would not fail. Though he felt wary, he also felt immensely pressured under Klaus’s glare. And so, he nodded. He’d do whatever it took to get home-- back to Charmy, who was likely sound asleep in his bed by now. Who knows how much time has passed since they’d been in the city. He couldn’t really tell, but all he knew was that he’d prefer to be home before sunrise, and if there was a chance of that happening by cooperating with Winona’s time-sensitive plan, he was going to take it with no further questions asked.  
But, of course, nothing ever went smoothly for the Chaotix.  
There was a sudden rumbling that shook the tower, and they were all collectively thrown off balance. Books and jars toppled from their shelves, shattering as they hit the floor. Rattled, Winona gasped and held her head to protect herself from the falling debris.  
“What is happening?!” She hurried to a window and her eyes widened. “No… There’s no way.”  
“What? What’s happening?” Espio peered over her shoulder to see the south tower crumbling. “Didn’t you say that you anticipated that?”  
“Of course I did, but not so soon--”  
“Is that bad?”  
“Very. Hurry, all three of you,” She began to push them out of the door, “Bury those pouches. Espio, you’ll need to bury yours at the base of this tower. As soon as you’re finished I’ll need you on the roof to spot me. If I lift my boot off of the paper bomb, that’ll be your cue. Klaus,” She looked back at her demon partner, “You know what to do.”  
Espio climbed the tower as soon as she burst through the door to the terrace and made his way down to the ground. Taking the pouch in his hand, he used a kunai to dig deep into the dirt. All the while, it seemed like the entire mountain was shaking beneath his feet. When the pouch and its contents were secure deep in the hole that he had created, he pushed the loosened dirt with his shoe, then stamped on it before putting the kunai in between his teeth and climbing the grey brick tower once again, camouflaging himself before he reached the roof. From there, he could see the entire terrace, and there was something strange going on that caught his attention.  
Winona stood there looking frazzled as the wind blew furiously all of a sudden and storm clouds approached, obscuring the full moon. On the other side of the terrace, floating mid-air and surrounded by a whipping, red and black aura was a second white hedgehog. He was wearing a white collared shirt and a black vest that were tattered and worn. Espio couldn’t see his face because he was facing the opposite direction from where Winona stood, but he knew that the hedgehog must have been Varrick, her brother.   
There was a clap of thunder as Varrick turned, and a flash of lightning illuminated the horror that was his face. He had bloodshot eyes that were so wide that it was as if they were stapled open, and his smile was unnatural. He looked so insane that the story that she’d given them about what he’d done to the kingdom was beginning to look all the more tangible. Espio got the most chilling vibe from Varrick as he cocked his head at Winona. Espio had thought he’d seen evil before. He thought he’d seen evil in its most diabolical form in the eyes of Dr. Eggman, but now that he was seeing this-- he knew he hadn’t seen it all as he previously assumed.  
“Little sister.” Varrick spoke in a voice that didn’t suit his appearance. It was deep and sophisticated, which made him even more odd. “How predictable you are… I almost feel bad, you looked like you had so much faith in your silly little plan. Smug, even. You may have taken the stone from me, but I had an ace up my sleeve.” From behind his back he pulled out a glittering jewel, one that Espio knew as a Chaos Emerald. He exhaled, knowing that there was no way that this was going to end on a good note. He was beginning to wonder if it was even safe to watch at this point, and thought about grabbing Winona and making a run for it.   
“What is that thing?” She asked. Uneasy, she shifted her weight, but she did not lift her foot. Espio readied a shuriken regardless.   
“You don’t know?” Asked Varrick, amused.   
“Of course I don’t, brother. You know I hardly leave this place.”  
“You live here? You really fear my freedom so much that you’ve chosen to live here in the Spirit Realm?” He laughed, then lowered himself to the ground so that he was no longer levitating. “Stupid girl. You’re so naive. It’s really cute that you thought you were one step ahead, but you’ve got to admit it-- you’ve never been cut out to be an Aetherborn. You’ve got the royal blood and you’ve got the royal power. But you lack experience. I took that from you, remember?” Winona was shaking, frozen in place as Varrick advanced. From the corner of his eye, Espio watched as Klaus peered from the right side of the terrace, closely watching and inching as if he also knew that Winona’s plan was now null and void. “I took away your future. Your precious school, the very same one that would have put you in that uniform that you’re wearing. Well, I couldn’t have you learning any more than what you already know from that book, could I? Why do you wear that? Does it make you feel confident?” He took another step, and Klaus’s protective aura must’ve given him away, because Varrick raised a hand in his direction and the demon was shot into the sky, thrown far off of the mountain.   
Winona shrieked after him, “Klaus!”  
“My, my, even my little sister has a pet demon of her own. He’s scrawny, do you starve him? You realize demons require souls to flourish.”  
“Klaus is not a pet!”  
“You sure? Because he’s acting quite like a guard dog.” Varrick took another step, and Winona tensed. The situation changed, and it was clear that she had underestimated their foe. He was so close to her now, and Espio knew he had to do something or it would be too late. Varrick took another step, forcing Winona to take a step back and expose the paper bomb beneath her foot. It was now or never.  
Espio jumped from the roof of the tower and down onto the terrace behind her, swooping up Winona in his arms quickly. She shouted in surprise, and Varrick’s twisted face looked as though he was taken a little off guard. He was still camouflaged as he launched himself from the terrace and into the sky, all the while Winona was panicking in his arms likely because she was scared out of her wits and had no idea what was happening. While in the air, he flung a shuriken at the paper bomb. The explosion was weaker than he had expected, but it worked in his favor regardless. The force of the blast sent them farther into the sky. He revealed himself to her under the cover of the smoke just before his feet hit the side of the mountain. However, he slipped on a mossy rock and the two of them tumbled down the side of the peak. They rolled, and they clung to each other tightly as their bodies hit the rocky ground. They landed at a cliff on the side of the mountain far away from the castle.   
They groaned in pain, unable to move because the wind was knocked from their lungs during the fall. Winona’s arms shook as she lifted herself off of Espio’s chest, coughing. She looked up to the castle with watering eyes, then down back at him. She looked fragile and shocked, and her hands were so tiny resting upon his chest. He felt odd all of a sudden when her caramel eyes met his own. Woozy, even. Perhaps a side-effect from the elixr she had given him? No, the feeling was brief and it only lasted until she had gained the strength to pull herself off of him.   
“Are you o-okay?” She stuttered, eyeing a bead of blood trickling from his forehead to his jawline. “Y-You’re bleeding…”  
He put a finger to his forehead, staining his glove with a droplet of blood. Thankfully, the wound didn’t feel too severe. “I’m not concussed, I should be alright…” He looked at her again and she nodded then looked up to the castle above them. “Are you okay, Winona?”  
She shook her head and a tear fell down her face. “No.” She pointed a finger at the castle above. “Look.” He sat up and lifted his head.   
The sight made him feel sick. Four black beams were now erected into the sky, surrounded by what looked like hundreds of those floating black creatures. It was a demonic hive with a portal at its center. What remained of the castle was now nothing but rocky dust.   
“He’s free now.” She cried, looking away from the scene. “I’ve failed.”  
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She led them down a rocky path through the field of flowers, silent and defeated. Klaus followed her closely, while Vector and Espio strayed behind. Espio understood the sensitivity of the situation, but Vector hadn’t seen what he had seen. And so, Vector was the one who broke the silence once they had reached a bridge that crossed over a bog.  
“So, what happens now?”  
“I send you boys home and you forget that we ever met.” She said in a voice that was devoid of all emotion.   
“What about your brother?” Vector asked again.  
“That’s none of your concern.”  
“He has a Chaos Emerald, we have the right to be concerned.” Espio muttered. He hadn’t intended to be heard, but her ears perked and she stopped in her place. Klaus looked back at him and walked toward him. Though this time his eyes were softer, contrast to the spiteful stare he had given to him in the dungeon. He stopped in front of the Chameleon and looked away with an awkward nervousness that he didn’t expect a demon was capable of.  
“Listen, I…” Klaus swallowed as if the words that were about to come out of his mouth were painful to speak, “I appreciate you for what you did to protect the Princess. But you have to understand something…” Klaus lowered his voice to a whisper, “She just watched her childhood home crumble for the second, and last time. Have some empathy.  
“Buddy, you don’t seem to understand the scope of this situation--”  
“--I understand the scope better than either of you.” Klaus interrupted Vector, “If you knew what I knew, you’d stay out of it. For your own good. Now hand it over.” The demon extended his paw to Espio, who then dug into his pocket and placed the circular stone into Klaus’s hands. As Klaus caught up to Winona and they continued their walk up a hill, Espio was left wondering if they were just given a warning or a threat. Vector must’ve felt the same way because he’d given his partner a look of interest.   
The rest of their time in The Spirit Realm felt like a dream. She brought them to a platform beyond the bog where the wind howled. Unlike the area surrounding the castle, this place felt peaceful and serene. In the distance they could see an orange sliver of light on the horizon. It was nearly dawn. She had them sit about in a circle sitting cross-legged with the stone in her lap. She closed her eyes and sat there silently.   
It was strange to watch someone else meditate. He’d spent so much time with the Chaotix, and it had been years since he’d been home. It reminded him of just that--home.   
Suddenly, Winona was shrouded with an aura of light and he was beginning to feel drowsy. It was a comforting feeling, the opposite of what he felt when they’d run into the demons at the castle. It felt like he was being lulled to sleep. Vector felt it too and had collapsed, snoring at his side. The flash of light bewitched him, and sent him. He felt himself willingly give into it. His head knocked back as he allowed the otherworldly force to overtake him. It was bliss. Intoxicating. Yet ghostly and foreign.   
He was put to sleep by her lullaby.


	5. 5

The pitter-patter of the heavy rain against his bedroom window went unnoticed by him, muted by the gaming headset he wore over his ears. The teenager was sitting upside down at the edge of his bed, his eyes fixated hard on the flashing screen in front of him. His fingers excitedly thrashed the buttons on the controller in his hands, and his heartbeat quickened in pace. The timer on the screen turned red. Ten seconds until the match was over, and he was still a ways away from the goal. His teammates were shouting in his ears, blaring crude yet encouraging words. Five seconds and he was just so close--  
The lightning illuminated his room for a split second, and a shadow of a person was cast from the window behind him. Frightened, he threw off his headset and gasped, throwing his body up to face the window while panting heavily.   
No one was there.  
He shook his head. What was he thinking? He must have been tired and imagining things-- it was almost five in the morning, and he had stayed up all day and night doing nothing but play video games and eat junk food. He almost laughed at himself for being so silly. There was no way a person could have been standing outside of his window. His bedroom was located on the second floor, after all.   
He could hear his teammate’s disappointed banter from the headset on the floor. Deciding that he’d rather not face their wrath, he grabbed the remote from the nightstand and powered off the T.V. His eyelids were heavy, and he knew he was due for a scolding from Espio when he eventually woke up late in the afternoon. But, before he could hit the hay, he knew he was going to have to take care of the mess he made if he wanted to survive at the hands of the ninja Chameleon.   
He stacked candy wrappers, empty chip bags, and a couple of soda cans atop a plate and allowed his wings to carry him to his door. With a yawn, the bee flicked on the light in the hallway before proceeding down the stairs toward the kitchen. He circled the dining table and dropped the wrappers into the trashcan next to the fridge then gently placed his plate in the sink. He was just about to head back upstairs to bed when he heard the sound of shattering glass in the next room.   
Charmy’s head perked. Slowly, he buzzed to the swinging door that led to the bar, peeking his head so that he could see through the little plastic window. The bar was dark and it was hard to see, but there was one thing horribly wrong that was plain and obvious to see. The front door to the Chaotix Detective Agency was wide open when he was sure that Vector had locked it before they left him home alone. He swung the door open and shouted into the darkness.  
“Vector? Espio?”  
There was no response. He was met with no greeting besides the tapping of the rain on the concrete ground outside. He reached out his hand to push the door, but something made him hesitate. He could have sworn that he heard the slow, guttural creak of the floorboards in the bar. It was a sound that was familiar to him, but he only ever heard it on weekend nights when the bar was open and patrons filled the empty stools. The fact remained, however, that the bar was empty. Or at least, it appeared to be.   
His expression eased for a split moment. Could he be getting pranked right now? He could expect such a joke to be orchestrated by Vector, but Charmy couldn’t figure out just how he’d pulled it off. There was no way that Espio would be taking part in it-- the Chameleon hated jokes like that; He called them childish and annoying. So, Charmy burst through the door, expecting Vector to be hidden behind the bar holding in hysterical laughter. He imagined the Crocodile pointing a finger at him and saying:  
“Hah! You should’ve seen the look on your face!”  
But there was nobody there. There was nobody hidden. It was just an empty bar.  
The boy’s palms were sweaty as he eyed the open door. Somehow, he felt like he would be safer outside in the torrential rain. There could be an intruder lurking in any one of the dark corners of the bar, waiting patiently to strike. He had a vivid thought, a product of his own fear-- he imagined a decrepit, rotting hand reaching over his shoulder and strangling him. But he shook the idea away. It was silly. He was being silly. His mind was probably being manipulated by the many horror movies that he and Vector marathoned a week ago. Espio always told him that he’d regret plaguing his mind with such dark content.   
“I guess he was right,” Charmy whispered.   
He mustered his courage, channeling his inner ninja Chameleon, forcing himself to run to the door. With shaking hands, he grabbed the doorknob and began to slowly close the door. But then, there was another clap of thunder and a flash of lightning in the sky, and that’s when he saw it.  
A figure of a man standing across the street beneath a street light. He couldn’t make out any distinct features besides a smile so wide that the insides of his cheeks were exposed. Charmy just stood and looked at the man. He felt that if he looked away, something bad was going to happen to him. It was a gut feeling, primal in nature. He didn’t know who the stranger across the street could be, but if he turned out to be some crazy mass murderer, Charmy wouldn’t have been surprised.   
The bee kept his eyes on him, gulping hard. The figure seemed to notice him, tilting his head as if curious. Charmy gripped the doorknob until his knuckles turned white, and he quickly glanced up at the phone on the wall. He could call Vector and make them come home. He could tell him that he was scared and that he needed them home now. They could take care of the man across the street, and Charmy could sleep easy in his bed. It was a good plan, he told himself. After all, the two detectives were only a couple blocks away.  
In the split second that he had looked away, there was another flash in the sky. When his eyes returned to look at the stranger, he saw that the streetlight had gone out. The figure was nowhere to be seen. In a panic, he slammed the door shut and twisted the lock. Desperate for light to relieve him, his shaking fingers flicked the bar light switch up, but the light would not turn on. There must have been a power outage from the storm.   
He began to hyperventilate as a knock could be heard at the door. He hustled to the phone and dialed Vector’s number and put it to his ear. Unfortunately, he was met only with dial-tone. With a cry, he put the phone back on the receiver. The knocking at the door continued, and it felt like it got louder and louder. He covered his ears as he stepped away from the door, but despite his efforts, he was beginning to hear voices. It was as if they were in his mind, whispering things. Evil things.   
While the voices of the damned distracted him, causing him to crumple to the floor, the demon approached him from behind. Reaching out with a clawed hand, it grabbed him from the back of his collar.  
And like a snuffed candle, Charmy was dragged into the darkness  
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Espio woke in his bed groggy and uncomfortable. His eyes were heavy with fatigue, and his body didn’t want to cooperate. Ordinarily, he’d hop out of bed and start the day off with a quick, yet efficient fifteen minute meditation. Today, however, he couldn’t bring himself to do it. Every time he closed his eyes, he thought about the vast fogginess of the discolored forest-- and he was suddenly transported back into the past when he roamed the woods aimlessly, stricken with grief with the blood of his dead comrade still dripping from his shirt.   
The memory chilled him to his core.   
He pushed the covers off of him and slowly got to his feet, groaning, careful not to stretch his tired muscles. He took a deep breath, pausing in front of the mirror on his closet. He looked disheveled, and the bags under his eyes made it clear that he did not get a good night’s rest. Nothing that a cup of black tea couldn’t fix. He dressed himself in a white collared shirt, which he left partially unbuttoned, and black slacks. They didn’t have any cases today, so there was no need to wear his harness, though he always hid a knife in his glove just as a precaution. He exited his room and headed straight to Charmy’s bedroom, giving his door a knock.  
He shook his head when he received no response. The boy was probably up at an ungodly hour and there would be no waking him. The Bee slept like a rock. Espio spun on his heels and descended the stairs into the kitchen, where Vector was seated at the table, a cigarette in his mouth as he read the morning paper.   
“Dude, you’ve gotta see this,” Said Vector, placing the paper on the counter in front of Espio as he prepared his tea. “Read the headline.”  
“Crime rate skyrockets overnight, fourteen murders in the city overrun by demons.” Espio read aloud. “I’m sure they’re exaggerating. Though it does raise concern.” As Espio poured his tea into a mug, Vector took a drag from his cigarette, puffing smoke that raised to the ceiling. His partner then pointed to a particular line in the paper, prompting him to continue reading. “Each killing took place six minutes from each other, back to back and were ritualistic in nature.” Espio flashed his eyes up at Vector, “And we haven’t gotten any calls?”  
“Not yet.” Vector replied, “Isn’t that weird? After what happened last night?”  
“Don’t let the buzzword in the headline concern you Vector, let’s not make assumptions.”  
“I’m sorry, did you forget what happened last night? Spooky adventure in the afterlife? Castle crawling with demons?”  
“It could be a coincidence.”  
“One hell of a coincidence,” Vector muttered, stamping his finished cigarette into the ash in a tray on the table. “Hey, so, I kinda wanted to ask you somethin’.”  
Espio took a sip of his tea and sat at the table, “Ask me what?”  
“Yesterday, in that forest…” Espio knew what was coming, and so he braced himself, preparing his poker face, “You looked… bothered. Did something happen to you? How did you end up so hurt?”  
“Bothered?” He laughed haughtily. “Hardly. Though, I’ll admit that I have no memory of anything in that forest before I woke up there. Except for the events that took place in the museum, of course.” He set his mug on a coaster and crossed his arms, “Are you okay, Vector?”  
“Yeah, I’m fine--”  
Ring! Ring!  
The telephone sounded from the bar, and Vector immediately stood from his seat, “Let’s hope we get a case.” Espio followed him into the bar. Vector made a beeline for the phone. Meanwhile, Espio turned behind the bar with his mug in hand. As he finished his tea, he dropped the cup gently into a sink. Just then, there was a crunch beneath his shoe. Confused, he took a step back. Under his foot was a shattered wine glass. He looked up to the shelf of bottles behind him to find an empty spot where the glass once sat.   
“Hm.” Behind the bar, he located a broom and a dustpan and swept up the mess, dropping the glass into a trash can. Vector picked up the phone.   
“Hello? O-Oh… Vanilla. Hi, how are you?”  
Espio hadn’t intended to eavesdrop. Things like eavesdropping always just came naturally to him. He spent plenty of his time spying on missions and cases. He’d done it for years, and so now he hardly had to try to snoop. Sometimes, it made him feel guilty. This time, however, he honestly wasn’t even thinking about how he was now listening to private conversation. He carried on with his business, returning to the kitchen to clean up the mess that Vector had forgotten on the table.   
“Y’know Vanilla, I was hoping we could talk about the other night-- Yes, I know. Well, I just wanted to say that I’m sorry.” Espio could hear a sniffle as he cleared off the table. He wetted a washrag and began to wipe. “You know,” Vector continued, “I shouldn’t have said that, it was insensitive. I didn’t even realize-- Yes, I know. I know, baby. I’m sorry.”   
Espio made a look of interest. Whatever it was that Vector had said must have been pretty bad. He knew Vanilla to be a very patient woman, and he knew her to handle Vector quite well. It would take a lot to make her angry. The ninja Chameleon paused and listened, zoning his unfocused gaze into the hallway.   
“I’m really sorry about your mom. I know Cream is probably devastated. What’s that--? Yeah. Say, I could bring you girls out to eat tonight or somethin’, we could go to Cream’s favorite place, y’know the one off of Century Avenue--” Vector paused, and his optimistic tone deflated, “O-Oh… yeah, I understand. Oh? She’s with your ex-husband… well, if you need anything, give me a holler alright? I’m here for you. Okay, bye. Take care, y’hear?”   
The Crocodile returned to the kitchen, his defeat evident by the quiver of his lip. Espio said nothing as Vector passed him and sulked up the stairs. By the way his partner reacted, he could tell that Vanilla had not yet accepted his apology. He may as well assume that the two were still separated. It was a shame, Vector and Vanilla had chemistry. They had been together for a few years-- and Vector had even once confided in Espio about how he had planned to buy her a ring to make things official.   
His thoughts were interrupted when he was suddenly pushed from behind. Charmy had practically walked through him to get to the fridge.   
“Charmy, where are your manners?” He scolded. The Bee didn’t respond and instead grabbed a carton of milk, unscrewed the cap and started chugging. He was drinking so aggressively that milk was dripping from his chin and onto the floor. Frankly, Espio was too shocked to say anything at first. Charmy was never the most well-behaved child, but he certainly never acted so unrefined. When the boy was done with the carton, he then reached back into the fridge and began to rifle through what little groceries they had-- tossing potatoes and eggs in his direction. “Hey--!” Espio grabbed the Bee by his arm, spinning him around to face him. “What in the world has gotten into--”  
Upon seeing his eyes, Espio knew in his heart that something was wrong. The boy’s normally bright, yellow irises were now a muted grey-- and his skin was pale as if he were ill. The Bee never looked so emotionless and zombie-like. Charmy looked up at Espio and smiled in such a way that simply didn’t suit him.

When dinner time rolled around, Charmy devoured his plate like an animal. Vector and Espio watched with their mouths agape. They hadn’t even touched their own food by the time Charmy was done. He even went as far as to lick his plate desperately as if his hunger couldn’t be satisfied. When he was finished, he began to scratch at his neck and look around the room. Vector leaned in and whispered to Espio.  
“You were right, he’s lost his marbles.”  
The boy groaned and held his stomach, resting his head onto the plate in front of him as he began to shake. Vector watched with the most horrified expression, swallowing hard as Charmy reached for a fork. He spun the utensil in his fingers for a moment and cracked his neck before raising his head to look at them. Vector and Espio stood in their chairs when they saw how his eyes had changed, now pupil-less.   
“A-Are you still hungry, Charmy?”  
Vector tried to find the light in the boy’s face, but there was hardly a glint of Charmy’s identity left in it. Neither of them could tell if they were simply being paranoid due to the events they’d endured the night before, or if what they were seeing was the real deal. It was the only explanation they had, but neither of them wanted to believe it. They left without eating a single bite of their dinner. Espio regretted being wasteful, but the smell that radiated from Charmy ruined his appetite.   
The next few days were quiet. Under normal circumstances, Espio would have found it quite peaceful-- but Charmy’s condition and behavior was worsening as time went by. Vector was stressing like Espio had never seen, and their hands were so full that they had completely forgotten to call Sonic about the missing Chaos Emerald.   
Groaning came from his room late at night, and it was so loud that they were losing precious hours of sleep. In the mornings, Charmy would eat all of the food in the house until there was nothing left. And since they’d abandoned their last case, they had no spare cash for a grocery run. When the situation got dire and Charmy started drooling wherever he walked, Vector scheduled an emergency doctor’s appointment. However, the two detectives stood apprehensively outside of the Bee’s bedroom door. Neither of them had any idea how they were going to convince Charmy to get into the car.  
“You do it.” Whispered Vector, “I tried to get him to take a shower yesterday--”  
“What did he do?”  
“Fucker bit me! It’s like he’s got rabies or something. It’s beginnin’ to remind me of that zombot pandemic--”  
Espio sighed and knocked on Charmy’s door. There was no response, and he honestly hadn’t expected one anyway. He pushed the door open, desperate for normalcy. The door creaked open slowly but stopped halfway, blocked by Charmy’s toppled dresser on the ground. He peeked in to find all of the furniture either destroyed or flung out of their original places. Charmy was nowhere to be seen.  
“What in the heck happened in here? Charmy! Where ya’ at?” Vector shouted, pushing past Espio into the bedroom and nearly tripping on a bedsheet on the floor. “You are so grounded, kid, we can’t afford to have all of this replaced--!” A moan came from behind Charmy’s closet door, prompting the detectives to freeze. Vector gulped audibly as he opened the closet.  
He sat on the ground facing the wall, rocking back and forth like a patient in an asylum. He was whispering, muttering something under his breath, gibberish that was incomprehensible.   
“Charmy?”  
His head perked and his crazed muttering halted. Slowly, his head turned to face them. He glared at them with glassy eyes, the whites of which had yellowed. The smell wafted the room like a noxious gas, gagging them. The boy stood, his head and body swaying and shaking while drool and snot puddled on the floor. He lifted his head and smiled a wide smile, exposing the inside of his cheeks.  
“I don’t want you in here. Get out.” He said.  
“Charmy we’re going to bring you to the doctor.” Espio said as he carefully stepped forward. “You’re not well.”  
“I feel fine.” The boy replied with a giggle that soon intensified into a maniacal cackle. He held his belly as if someone had told him the funniest joke he’d ever heard. The more he laughed and laughed, the weirder he began to look. His face was morphing, changing until a stranger stood in front of them. He may have had Charmy’s body, but it simply wasn’t him. “But you boys won’t be fine…” He took a step forward, wiping the fluid dripping from his nose with his sleeve.   
“...Not after I’m done with you.”


	6. 6

The archives hall in the nearest library was The Chaotix’s one-stop-shop for any information they’d need for any case. It was a reliable source and, best of all, it was one-hundred percent free-- which Vector appreciated greatly. Ordinarily, they would make use of the public news logs to find missing persons, but this visit would be much different than any of their previous ones. This time they would have to explore the international public archive. They’d never actually stepped foot in this particular hall before, but since Winona was foreign, they knew that spending time in the local archives would be a waste of their time.   
It was a dusty, quaint, and narrow room with file cabinets on each wall. At the end of the hall sat what Espio assumed, by the looks of it, was the world’s most ancient computer. He examined it, pushing a button on its blocky keyboard and swiping dust off of its thick screen. It may have not been the most convenient option, but for Charmy’s sake, he would have to make it work. He sat at the desk and booted up the old computer, forced to wait patiently until it fully loaded. Meanwhile, Vector began rifling through the cabinets, which were organized in alphabetical order.   
“What did she say her name was again?” Asked Vector, “Weatherborn?”   
“Aetherborn.” Espio corrected, “Winona Aetherborn.”   
“Alright, now how d’ya spell that?”  
Espio sighed and shook his head. His stomach was growling, and he was so tired that his eye was twitching. Needless to say, the Chameleon’s patience was running thin. “Just do your best, Vector.” He muttered once the computer had finally finished booting up.   
Espio usually had a knack for computers, but the interface on this one was so old that he was actually having a hard time finding a search engine. After a good minute of silently scrolling through the computer’s documents and programs, he realized that the computer only served the purpose of running one program in particular-- a digital archive for intangible documents. In other words, documents that no longer exist. He was hopeful, so he double-clicked the program. In its search engine, he typed in the name.  
Aetherborn.   
To his surprise, there were actually a handful of results that popped up, but only a couple of them actually caught his attention. One was a news article that was published long before he was even born. It seems that the journalist who wrote it was a skeptic of the paranormal and had heard about the Aetherborn monarchy and traveled overseas in hopes of meeting a witch who would bring them to the Spirit Realm. It was an interesting read that even detailed how their witch operated government functioned. As fascinating as it was, it wasn’t what they needed. No, what they really needed was something-- anything -- that might be able to give them some idea of where Winona might be.   
It might have been macabre, but Espio hoped to find obituaries. He wanted to find some sort of emotional link to Winona, perhaps one that would lead them to a gravesite or tomb that she might visit. Unfortunately, he found nothing. So, he opted to skim through every single article that so much as mentioned the monarchy-- but this also leads him to a dead end. He swiveled in the chair to face his partner, who was making a mess of the hall with papers and news clippings scattered around him while he sat on the floor.  
“Anything?” He asked the Crocodile.   
“Not a whole lot, but you’ll be happy to know that I’ve found out what country she’s from. Oh-- also, I found this--” Vector handed Espio a worn, folded piece of paper, which he promptly unfolded. It looked as though it had been ripped from the front page of a very old-timey newspaper.   
“The Aetherborn Tragedy,” He read aloud, “An entire kingdom decimated within minutes. Did the royal siblings escape the blast? Or are they simply buried beneath the rubble of the Aetherborn Castle?” Beneath the short introduction of the article were pictures of each and every Aetherborn who was killed on that fateful day. One picture, in particular, caught their attention. Two little girls, identical twins with wide smiles as if someone had made them laugh before the picture was taken. One had big round glasses, and the one who did not was marked off with a giant red X. Below the picture it read:  
‘Princess Theodora Aetherborn: Deceased. Presumably survived by her sister, Princess Winona Aetherborn, and her older brother, Prince Varrick Aetherborn.’  
“That’s just sad.” Said Vector, shaking his head, “I wish we had the whole article-- don’t ya’ think it’s pretty weird that it was ripped out and folded up like that?”  
“It’s certainly strange, but it’s not what we’re looking for.” Said Espio dismissively, “I wish we could get into that museum, I have a feeling that we’d find something better there in that exhibit, but we’ve got no money.”  
Vector sighed and his stomach growled wildly, “You could just camouflage yourself into the exhibit. I know you hate breaking rules, but for Charmy--”  
“--Yeah.” Espio nodded, “I guess that’s a good plan B. But, just in case, pack up everything you found. If we can’t find anything at the museum, we’re going to have to do something drastic--”  
“--Or hire an exorcist.”  
The two detectives gathered up their papers and stuffed them into a bag that Vector wore around his shoulder before leaving the archives. Anxiously, they speed-walked out of the library and into the busy sidewalk of the city. They weaved through the crowds at an anxious speed, dodging stalls and food stands along the way. Vector had accidentally bumped into a man in a suit, who swore at him loudly when they passed. The Crocodile shouted an apology over his shoulder. They were practically running, rushing to get to the museum as quickly as they possibly could. Due to traffic, however, they were forced to come to a stop at a crosswalk.   
They were lucky they did, too. Because if they hadn’t stopped, they might have just walked right past her.  
“Holy shit Es, you’re not going to believe it.”  
Espio looked up, puzzled at first. He didn’t recognize her outside of that uniform, and his eyes even glazed over her as he examined the crowd on the other side of the street, trying to see just what Vector was pointing at. In her outfit, she looked like an average girl-- dressed in a plaid purple dress over a black turtleneck. It was the pair of round, golden glasses that gave her away. She looked just like she did in that picture they’d found in the Archives, but much older and matured. She had her face buried in a big leather-bound book, and she was too busy reading to notice them from her spot on the other side of the crosswalk.  
“Hey! Winona! Over here! Winona!”  
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

Summonings. Protection spells. Wards. She flipped through the pages, growing increasingly more frustrated. She was tapping her foot anxiously as she waited at the edge of the curb when she was suddenly bumped from behind. She wasn’t fond of this city. She felt like she was losing air, suffocating from the sheer amount of people surrounding her. She was doing her best to ignore it and focus on her task, but she was becoming antsier and antsier with every page she turned. She just couldn’t find what she was looking for.   
“Anything, Princess?” Asked Klaus’s disembodied voice in her ear.  
“No, nothing.” She replied, “If I can’t find a spell, we’re going to have to create one ourselves.”  
“Is that a problem?”  
“No,” Winona answered, “The problem is ingredients. I should have at least grabbed some herbs at the apothecary--”  
“Winona!”  
She furrowed her brow and raised her head from her book. The two detectives were staring at her from the other side of the road, shouting and waving to her excitedly. To her, it was a pleasant surprise. She liked those boys, even if they’d gotten off on the wrong foot at first. She had to be grateful for them for their help, and she was especially grateful for Espio, who saved her life more than once the other night.   
“Look,” She said with a smile to Klaus’s ghost, who to any onlooker was just her own shadow projected onto the brick wall behind her, “It’s those detectives, perhaps they’d be willing to help.” She began to raise her hand to wave, but Klaus forced her hand back to her side.  
“I don’t think that’s wise, Princess.” He whispered quickly in her ear, “If they’re looking for you, it can mean only one thing. They’re going back on their word.”  
“What do you mean?”  
“They’re here to arrest you, Princess.”  
She felt her heart swell with disappointment. Klaus had a point. To their knowledge, the only reason that they had to seek her out was to arrest her for the looting at the museum. They may have promised her that they wouldn’t when they were in the Spirit Realm, but who wouldn’t lie under those circumstances? They had a job to do. Although they certainly didn’t look like they were dressed for business-- actually, they looked quite messy as if they’d just gotten out of a fight. Their clothes were wrinkled and dirty, and she could tell from the way their eyes drooped that they were exhausted. She had an odd feeling about it.  
“I’m not sure Klaus…”  
“Princess, please. Remember what I’ve always told you. Mortals aren’t meant to get caught up with you.” She could feel his energy circle her body to her other ear, “For their sake and your own, Princess… leave them.”  
She really didn’t want to, but she felt like she had no choice. She looked down at the ground, trying to come up with some excuse to speak to them. They may have only interacted for one night, but it was the closest she’d ever come to making friends. She’d been isolating herself in the Spirit Realm for so long that she’d forgotten how pleasant chatting could be when in the right company. Their playful banter in the dungeon made her realize something about herself-- that was, over her years alone, she’d buried a deep yearning in her heart.  
But Klaus was right, it simply wasn’t meant for her. Or at least, that’s what she told herself.  
“Okay.” She said in a defeated tone as traffic finally halted and the detectives began to jog across the street toward her. “What do we do?”  
“I’ll mimic your appearance,” Klaus explained, “And then we split.”  
He did it while a group of chatty teenagers passed them, obscuring them for a split second. He took on Winona’s solid shape and appearance. Upon laying eyes on the two of them, the detectives’ eyes widened in confusion. Klaus’s clever copy-cat version of herself was foolproof. When Winona looked at him, it was like looking in a mirror. The detectives looked at each other in shock as if trying to communicate without words,  
“Go.” Klaus said in a whisper.  
With no hesitation, Winona bolted in one direction while Klaus sprinted in the other. She didn’t even know where she was supposed to run, so she just let her legs carry her without a second thought. She quickly glanced behind her back when she came to a corner to see that Espio had chosen to follow her, while Vector tailed Klaus. The Chameleon was fast, just about as fast as you’d expect an elite ninja to be. She had no time to waste, so she sprinted right into a crowd of people. Luckily, she was small enough to squeeze between the stranger’s bodies. They yelled profanities at her as she did so, but she ignored them. She was huffing by the time she came to another crosswalk, and she had no time to wait until traffic stopped moving, so she just decided to take her chances and dart straight into the moving cars. She was bumped and honked at in the process, but she made it to the other side without a hitch.  
She’d run a whole block when she took a second peek behind her back to see how far off the Chameleon was, she had realized that he wasn’t actually behind her at all. Confused, she spun around and looked all around her. Tourists, couples, teenagers, athletes going on a mid-day jog-- there were plenty of people surrounding her, but Espio was not among them. She put a hand to her thumping heart as she caught her breath and ducked into an alleyway.  
There was just no way that she got away that easy. There was no way that she just outran a ninja. If the stories she’d heard as a child were true, the Shinobi clan was nothing but elite-- it was simply unthinkable that a girl like her had gotten away from a guy like him. She had asthma, she was nowhere near athletic, and she was practically wheezing after that short distance run. When she’d remembered what those ninja were capable of, she mentally kicked herself for being so stupid. She backed up, eyeing the busy city street until she had bumped into something-- or rather, someone. Startled, she spun around.  
Espio grabbed her gently by the forearm before she could book it, looking down at her with stern, bright yellow eyes. “You’re really not much of a runner.” He said as he released his grip on her, “Why are you running, anyway?”  
“I-I thought--” She swallowed hard as she continued to struggle to catch her breath, “What other reason do you have to seek me out other than to go back on your word?” She straightened her back and held her cramping stomach, “Well, I’ll give you fair warning, sir. If you put me in jail I’ll just find a spell to get me out--”  
“Jail? Who said anything about jail? You’re making assumptions. We don’t go back on our word, not ever.” He replied, shaking his head. He might have just given her good news, but he maintained a cold exterior that she found quite intimidating. That was until his demeanor cracked, and his eyes softened as he faced away. She got the feeling that he was trying to hide the vulnerability in his face, ashamed to show her his weakness. “We actually need your help, Winona.” She swore she heard his voice crack, but he was speaking too quietly to be certain. “It’s Charmy.”  
“Charmy?”   
“He’s part of our agency. He’s also Vector’s adopted son. And he’s a brother to me.” He shook his head and sat down on a wooden crate that sat beside a brick wall. “Something’s taken over him. He reeks like those creatures at the castle and he’s eaten all the food in the house-- somehow he assumed the power to throw Vector into a wall…” He rubbed his swollen, tired eyes and began to ramble in a flat tone. “I hated tying him to that chair, but I had no choice. He overpowered us-- and Vector didn’t have it in him to do it so--”  
“--When did it happen?”  
He looked up at her, “What do you mean?”  
“You speak of demonic possession.” She said, looking over her shoulder to make sure she couldn’t be heard. “When did it start?”  
“Well, we assume it started on the night we returned--”  
“--Oh god.” She buried her face in her hands and turned away from him. “I-I’ve never done an exorcism before--”  
He suddenly stood again and looked into her eyes, exposing his vulnerability to her with fierceness. “You have to try. You’re the only person we know who even understands what’s happening to him. He grows more ill with every passing hour. I’m never one to beg, Winona...” He put a hand on her shoulder, and she was beginning to feel that thing she was yearning for. Never in her life has she felt so needed. So essential. He was right-- she was probably their best shot. Sure, a priest could handle the matter, but not like she could. “...But right now I’d be willing to drop to my knees if it meant Charmy would be cured. We don’t have any money, but we could repay you somehow…”  
“...I suppose I could try but--”  
“But?”  
“Well, it’s just… Klaus would disapprove--”  
“You’re a Princess, aren’t you? Do you really take orders from your servants?”  
“Klaus is not my servant.” She muttered bitterly, “But I will help you. In fact, I’d love to help you. But I must have full disclosure with you… I have no idea how to conduct an exorcism. I’ve only read about them. I want to help you but I fear my lack of experience might make matters worse. There’s a possibility that I cannot bring him back.”  
Her words seemed to sting him, but he handled them surprisingly well. He gave her a small smile and nodded. “Thank you.”  
His appreciation made her feel prideful. So prideful that she nearly blushed. She forced down her proud smile and nodded, then she cleared her throat. “I’ll need some time to gather the appropriate tools. Until then, keep him hydrated as best as you can. I’ll need the address, you can expect me on your doorstep at the witching hour.”  
“The witching hour?”  
“Three in the morning. When the veil between our Realm and the Spirit Realm is at it’s thinnest. Within that hour, my power will be at its peak.”   
“And you promise you’ll be there?”  
“Consider myself committed to the cause.”


	7. 7

She didn’t even knock when she arrived. The doorknob hadn’t even twisted, the door simply creaked open. The detectives peeked from the plastic window from the kitchen to find her standing there next to Klaus holding a heavy bag and a couple of books in her arm. Vector practically burst through the door when he saw them, the cut on his cheek still fresh from when Charmy had seemingly levitated a butcher's knife from the kitchen block and sent it flying in his direction just an hour before. He was frazzled and tired, and so he approached her with wide eyes.  
“Winona, I’m so glad you’re here. If you got here any later I might not have a head!” His nervous, unhinged laughter made her give him a look of concern. Espio caught up to him, looking equally as tired but not quite as crazed as his partner. “Aren’t we so glad to see her, Es?” He smiled at the Chameleon like a clown, though the sadness in his eyes still glinted.  
“He gets weird when he’s tired, but never like this” Espio whispered to Winona, who dropped her bag onto the floor as she looked up at the wavering Crocodile.   
“Vector,” She asked, “When’s the last time you slept?”  
“Couple days, but don’t worry ‘bout me!” Vector nodded and gestured for the pair to enter, “Charmy’s in the closet upstairs, we had to get him away from the knives. I think he’s a witch now too, he can levitate n’ make things fly--”  
“This man has lost it.” Klaus muttered under his breath, “Is it really a good idea to have him around while we perform an exorcism?”  
“Klaus, you must try and be kind.” Winona whispered, “He’s fragile. The energy must be altering his state of mind, no doubt progressed significantly by his exhaustion.” She then whispered to Espio, “I hope you don’t mind, but we can’t have him around while we do this-- he’s on the brink of insanity. Mortals aren’t meant to be exposed to their energy for such a long time. If we can put him to sleep, he should be just fine in the morning.”  
“I’m not sure that we’ll be able to keep him away.” Espio confessed with his arms crossed as they both watched the Crocodile sway in the spot where he stood, the floorboards creaking beneath his giant body as he did so. “He’s so worried about Charmy, he hasn’t left his side since it started.”  
“Then I’ll just have to do some convincing.” She stated with a shrug of her shoulder. “Vector, why don’t you come here for a second? I’d like to tell you something very important.” The Crocodile swayed over to her with a big goofy smile that she couldn’t help but smirk at. When he was just a foot away from her, Espio watched her curiously as she held both of Vector’s hands. She spoke like a mother, rubbing her thumb over his scales. The Ninja couldn’t help but find himself in some sort of trance as he looked at her. “You’re so tired, love. Why don’t you give in? Wouldn’t it be so nice to just sleep?”  
“I can’t sleep.” Said Vector, “I have to protect Charmy.”  
“And you’ve done such a good job-- but everybody has their limits, Vector. You’ve far surpassed yours. It’s time to sleep now, okay?” She seemed to coax him until he reluctantly agreed, looking back into the kitchen before nodding. “Good boy.” She smiled, then got onto her tip-toes so that she was just inches away from his face. Then, she whispered something that Espio couldn’t understand. An incantation in another language. She then blew softly onto his face until his eyes fluttered, and his head dropped. He then slumped onto her like a ragdoll and she yelped in surprise as she struggled to support his body with her own. Espio rushed to her side and grabbed his partner. “I-I didn’t expect him to just fall like that-- usually they walk themselves over to their beds--”   
“Don’t worry about it,” Espio sighed, “This isn’t the first time I’ve had to do this.” As he carried Vector’s limp body to the office door on the left side of the bar to the office, he remembered the last time he’d had to carry his partner like this. They were drunk-- it was actually the first time Espio had gotten drunk. He wasn’t even technically of age yet, but Vector insisted after the Zombot Pandemic that he should indulge. Espio disapproved at first, but as the night progressed, he slowly changed his mind. It was probably the most fun he’d ever had in his entire life. Sure, he made humiliating decisions, and he might have made a fool of himself-- but he wouldn’t take it back for the world. While they were hungover the next morning, Charmy took delight in playfully tormenting them about everything they had said and done the night before. Ridiculous things that Espio would never ordinarily say or do, nor remembered doing in the first place. Espio hasn’t sipped alcohol since, but he would if Vector suggested it again after this whole ordeal.  
Winona entered the Chaotix’s home, looking all around. She peeked her head over the bar curiously, then looked at him as he laid Vector on the reclining chair in their office. “You boys like your liquor?”   
He wondered for a second if she’d read his mind, but then he remembered that it was quite odd to operate a detective agency and a bar under the same roof. She was joking, of course. But the coincidence of it all caught him off guard. He shook his head, “Not really. We only tend the bar on weekends when we need the money.”  
“I see. Well, let’s not waste any more time.” She said, checking a dainty little watch on her left wrist, exposing a little crescent moon tattoo on her forearm. “It’s five minutes to three,” She glanced at her demon partner, who seemed agitated, “Klaus, are you ready to begin?”  
“Hmph. Let’s get this over with. Where’s the boy?” The demon growled, then sniffed the air and looked up to the ceiling. “Upstairs. I smell the intruder upstairs.”  
“Poor boy can’t be in good shape if you can sense the demon seeping from his pores.” Winona said sadly, “Espio, can you bring us to him?” Espio nodded and brought the two of them upstairs. They maintained a bit of distance from the Ninja and bickered at one another incoherently. Though this piqued his interest, his priorities were elsewhere, so Espio didn’t take the time to listen to their conversation.  
They entered the hallway to Charmy’s bedroom, and Espio pushed open the door. He brought them inside and opened the closet where the Bee sat, tied to a chair with rope. Winona crouched and put a hand on Charmy’s shoulder, giving him a gentle shake. When he didn’t respond, she lifted his head delicately with a finger under his chin. Then, she caressed his pale cheek and flinched suddenly as if she was hit with static shock.   
“He’s freezing cold,” She looked up at Klaus with fearful eyes, “Should I--?”  
The demon seemed to know what she was going to say before she even said it. “--Absolutely not! Princess, I forbid you--”  
“He is on the edge of death, Klaus.” She began to beg him while Espio stood by, confused and sick with worry for Charmy, who stirred under her touch. “Please, just a drop. I won’t give him any more--”  
“The second that demon gets a taste of you, Princess, your brother will hear of it. I forbid you to put yourself in that position--”  
“Not if this demon is dead by the time we are done with it, Klaus!” She began to raise her voice, “I won’t let this boy die because I chose not to make a sacrifice.”  
Espio couldn’t even speak. He hardly even understood what was going on, but by the sound of it, Winona had a cure for Charmy’s deathly state-- and Klaus was persistently against it. He felt… disgusted. He felt enraged. But the Chameleon bit his tongue and glared at the demon from the corner. He accepted that the situation was out of his hands, and in theirs. He had to have hope that they’d fix Charmy, or else he might slip into the same insane despair that Vector did. Klaus must have sensed his hostility, because the demon flashed his eyes at him.   
“Espio, do you think I could borrow one of your little knives?” The Princess asked him in a far too casual tone.  
“My kunai?” He looked at Winona with skepticism, “Why? What for?”  
She lifted her hand to offer him a caring touch on the shoulder, but he recoiled. “It’s not for him, it’s for me.” She mustered a smile, “Trust me.”  
He had no other choice but to put his blind faith into her, so with reluctance, he handed her the kunai that he kept hidden in his glove. She took it, but instead of holding it by the handle, she grabbed it firmly by the blade. Her blood protruded between her fingers as she removed the kunai and sat it on the toppled dresser on the ground. She then hovered her bloody fist over Charmy’s head, allowing a single drop to drip right into the boy’s mouth.  
The results were instantaneous. Charmy’s grey skin flushed with color, and his purple lips turned a healthy pink. His breathing eased, and he was no longer wheezing. Winona let out a relieved sigh, then looked up to Klaus with that proud smile of hers. However, her partner only returned a cold glare of disapproval. Her smile faded away just like that, replaced by a look of embarrassment. Espio could do nothing but stutter in astonishment.  
“How--?”  
“Witch blood is a great treat for a demon.” Said Klaus bitterly, giving Espio nothing more than a sideways glance. Winona began to arrange candles from her bag onto the ground in the shape of a circle. “It’s rejuvenating, a miracle potion. It would have no effect on the boy if he weren’t currently possessed. However, we now have several worries on our hands as a consequence.”  
From their exchange, Espio could tell that there was a thick tension between Winona and Klaus. There must have been an argument prior to their arrival-- a disagreement that followed them all the way to the Chaotix’s doorstep. The two kept looking at each other behind their backs as they aligned the candles and herbs in their circle. Espio simply observed from his spot in the corner since he couldn’t do much else.  
“In that case,” Espio looked at Winona, hoping to rebuild what little confidence she had before her demon partner had broken it down, “I’m grateful for you.” The bright smile reappeared on her face, but Klaus was sure to crush it again as soon as he heard Espio’s praise.  
“Don’t offer us your gratuity yet, Chameleon. We still have an exorcism to do.”  
Espio got a bad taste in his mouth when her smile faded once more.  
When their intricate circle was assembled, Winona exhaled and closed her eyes, lifting her hands over it. The circle began to glow red, and an aura appeared on the floorboards of Charmy’s bedroom. As her eyelids lifted, she revealed a glowing, otherworldly light. The power that radiated from her was insane-- something Espio had never felt before. He didn’t understand what she was doing, but what he did know was that she was amazing. If she were in his Clan, she’d surely be considered enlightened.   
Her glowing ceased when a gasp was heard from the Bee behind them. Charmy’s head stirred and a cackling escaped his lips. He looked at them with eyes that weren’t his, exposing his cheeks with a wide smile. He looked at Winona as if amused. “Aw, you’ve brought me a snack.” The Bee licked his lips, “That was so yummy. Maybe this time I’ll get more than just a taste? Oh--” He laid his eyes upon Klaus, “What’s this? A Demon? Working alongside a Witch? That’s almost unheard of… tell me, Brother-- are you her familiar? Is that why she keeps you starved…? Or do the two of you have something more… intimate?”  
Klaus lunged forward at the Bee but both Espio and Winona stopped him before he could act. It took the two of them to hold him in his place. Espio could tell just from the vibration that Klaus emitted that he meant to harm Charmy. He could see it in his eyes-- an intention that was nothing but evil.  
“Klaus, stop-- Klaus!” Winona embraced him, and as if pacified by her touch, he stopped resisting. “He’s just a boy, Klaus. You know better than to fall for their manipulation. Perhaps you should go now, go back to the hotel-- you’re reacting exactly how it wants you to.” Espio took a step back. Klaus was looking down at her, entranced, looking almost intoxicated. Meanwhile, she looked up at him with nervousness-- maybe even a little fear. The ninja felt as though he was seeing something that he shouldn’t have seen.  
“Yes, Princess.” Klaus slurred obediently before disappearing into a puff of smoke. Winona blinked, smiling up at Espio awkwardly in an effort to hide the trembling of her hands.   
“Let’s continue. I’ll need him inside of the circle. It’s half-past three, we don’t have much more time.”  
Espio helped her carry Charmy over to her circle. As they sat him down, the demon stuck out the Bee’s neck in Winona’s direction-- smelling her. She made a look of disgust and backed away as the demon laughed, scratching the wood floor as Charmy’s body shifted in his seat.   
“What do we do now?” Espio asked, looking up to Winona as she adjusted her glasses.   
“She’s going to read rites from her cute little book.” Said the demon with a snarl, it then contorted Charmy’s face into a pout. “And she’s going to be oh so disappointed when it doesn’t work.”  
Winona ignored the demon and grabbed one of her books, smearing the blood in her hand all over its leather cover. Espio felt so useless as he watched her working around Charmy quickly, a glass bottle full of a dusty substance in her hand. She certainly didn’t look confident at all, but as she pulled a familiar stone out of her bag-- the energy of the room shifted completely. The demon eyed the object with curiosity as she held it. The book in her other hand began to levitate in front of her so that she could hold the stone to her chest.   
“Wait!” Espio peeked over her shoulder, “If there’s something I can do, please put me to work. Surely my talents can be of use to you, I refuse to just stand around.”  
She looked at him with consideration, then looked to Charmy, who smiled at her from his seat. The Ninja hated looking at his partner in such a state-- he looked like a twisted perverted version of himself. It wasn’t right. Charmy’s light was no longer there. Espio wanted normalcy. He wanted it so bad that he’d do anything. Winona seemed to realize that, and so she nodded.  
“I could use your energy, though after this is all said and done you might feel quite awful--”  
“What kind of friend would I be if I wasn’t willing to make a sacrifice?”  
“Your courage is admirable, Espio.” She said. He was never used to genuine compliments since he was always told that they got to his head. So, he shook off her praise.  
“Just tell me what needs to be done, and I’ll do it without fail.”  
“Sit there,” She pointed behind Charmy on the other side of the circle, “Do whatever you need to do to concentrate your energy into the circle.”  
He obeyed and seated himself right behind Charmy’s chair. He straightened his back and crossed his legs. If he was going to do this, he was going to make sure it was done right. He closed his eyes and began to meditate, focusing all of the thoughts that crossed his mind into the circle. Every single thought-- the good-- memories of Vector and Charmy shouting from the living room as they played their video games together while Espio sat frustrated in his bedroom, praying for peace and quiet. Most wouldn’t consider that a fond memory, but after years with the Chaotix he learned to appreciate their noise. If Espio couldn’t hear the loud voices of his friends, then there was something horribly wrong. The world was not balanced without their innocent chaos.   
Winona began to read out loud from her book and popped the cork from the bottle in her hand, prompting the demon to hiss from the center of the circle. Espio felt power like he’d never felt before as he sat with his eyes closed, listening to her incantations. He decided then to focus his frustrations into the circle-- his exhaustion, his desperation. He could have sworn he heard Charmy’s voice again, and so he opened his eyes, hoping to see his friend sitting there-- hoping to recognize the innocence in Charmy’s eyes again. But instead, he was met with an incredible scene.  
Winona was floating, her hand was hovering over Charmy's head. Her eyes were glowing again, that heavenly light enveloped her as she pulled something out of Charmy’s esophagus as she raised her hand. She spoke the words from the book in front of her quickly, and Charmy was now convulsing in his chair as a black ooze was lifted from his throat. She clutched that stone in her hands until her knuckles turned white. There was a flash that came from her eyes, and just like that-- the black ooze evaporated. Charmy’s body fell limp in the chair, and Winona fell to the ground once the clock struck four.   
It all ended so quickly. The energy in the room calmed so significantly that at first, Espio didn’t trust the sudden peace. He couldn’t accept that it was all over, he had to see it for himself. He stood slowly and peeked behind Charmy to see that Winona was out cold on the floor. The Ninja then cautiously made his way to the Bee, crouching in front of him and putting a hand on his shoulder. Espio no longer sensed that dreadful evil inside of his friend. He looked down at Winona, who stirred, but did not wake up.   
The room was a mess. Perhaps it was a metaphor for something. He laughed to himself, wondering if the disorder of the room was a symbol of the dysfunction of their lives. His life that he fought so desperately to maintain the balance of, it had no meaning without chaos. Or maybe, he was just a tired Chameleon, looking for something to distract his mind from what was probably one of the most stressful weeks of his life.   
He needed a moment of rest now that the nausea was settling in-- Winona was right, he was beginning to feel quite awful. He leaned himself up against the closet door in Charmy’s bedroom and closed his eyes just for a moment.   
Under his breath, he muttered:  
“Case closed.”


	8. 8

Espio woke to the sound of laughter coming from downstairs. He’d slept in, which was something he’d normally never do. He liked to be more responsible than that, but after the week he’d suffered, he really needed the extra sleep. He freshened himself up in the bathroom after dressing himself one of his more casual outfits-- a sweatshirt that was gifted to him from Vector with the logo of the Crocodile’s favorite band-- which was something that he’d never would have worn if it wasn’t a gift, honestly. Even though it wasn’t exactly his taste, and he might’ve never listened to that kind of music once in his life, Vector told him it looked good on him. So, he wore it with indifference, paired with a warm pair of black joggers with extra pockets.   
After flicking off the bathroom light, he crossed the hallway toward the guest bedroom. The door was cracked open slightly, and he peeked inside. He’d expected to see Winona still laying there on the bed where he’d left her-- but the room was vacant. Actually, it was quite pristine and cleaner than it was before he even put her there. She made the bed, folded up her used bedsheets, and she might have even dusted after she woke up. He can’t remember the last time they’d had such polite company. Even though Espio thought it was kind of overkill, it was certainly appreciated in their house of many messes.   
He could hear them talking as he descended the stairs into the kitchen. Vector, Charmy, and Winona were seated at the table. His partners were in the middle of telling her an exaggerated story about their last case, which Espio knew wasn’t nearly as exciting as Charmy made it out to be. The ninja stopped at the final step and leaned against the doorway to the kitchen, listening in amusement with his arms folded. The Bee was practically making things up at this point, flailing his arms as he spoke.   
“Then, Espio chopped them down with his ninja stars-- but I think I really got them spooked when I came down on them from above!”  
“Charmy, you fell from the balcony,” Vector said with a laugh, “Don’t pretend you pulled that stunt on purpose.”   
Winona put a hand to her mouth and chuckled. It was obvious that she knew that their story wasn’t quite accurate, but she didn’t seem to mind. She listened eagerly with a smirk, supporting her chin in her hand while Vector continued their story.  
“Turns out, the perp had bad blood with the original homeowner. Don’t know why he had to go as far as burnin’ the whole place down, but he wasn’t very careful about it. It didn’t take much for us to connect the dots.”  
“So he was an angry arsonist with a vendetta, huh?” She asked just before she noticed Espio standing there out of the corner of her eye. She looked at him and smiled. “Good morning. Vector tells me you boys haven’t eaten in a few days. I plan on bringing you out for breakfast, my treat. Is that okay with you?”  
He looked at Vector disapprovingly, “You don’t have to do that--”  
“--Nonsense, Es. The lady is offering--”  
“--I’m doing more than offering, I’m insisting.” Winona nodded to Charmy, “This one wouldn’t stop talking about pancakes and I’ve taken up the craving as well.”  
“You’ve already done enough for us.” Espio replied as he grabbed a clean mug from the cupboard and prepared to brew himself a cup of tea. “We’ll figure something out, we always have.”  
“Quit being so restrained, buddy.” Vector said, grabbing the mug from Espio’s hands as he stood, “It’s three against one, so you can either hang out here and starve or come with us to the diner and help us welcome Winona to the city. She’s living here now, you know.”

He couldn’t weasel his way out of it, so he gave in. Winona promised Charmy that he could choose any restaurant he’d like, and so Espio found himself sitting at a bright red booth in a diner downtown alongside his partners. Winona sat across from the three of them, entertained by Vector’s ramblings about all the types of crooks and criminals that they’ve successfully charged. He went on and on until the waitress came to take their orders.  
“Ladies first.” Said the waitress with a smile.  
“Pancakes with a side of eggs, please,” Winona said with a bit of nervousness as she folded the menu in her hands and sat it in the waitress’s hands. The waitress scribbled down her order then moved onto Charmy.  
“I’d like the breakfast platter please, with two extra pancakes--”  
Espio nudged the Bee with his elbow, “Charmy, would it kill you to be modest with your order?”  
“No, go on Charmy.” Winona replied, “You can have whatever you like.” Charmy smiled and stuck his tongue out at Espio, who simply shook his head in response. Then, the teenager occupied himself with his Gameboy while he waited to eat. Vector and Espio both ordered a simple eggs and toast-- feeling guilty about the hefty bill that Charmy was sure to leave up to Winona to cover.   
Vector cleared his throat as the waitress left them, “Alright, let’s address the elephant in the room… Winona, your brother’s gotten his hands on a Chaos Emerald.”  
“Chaos Emerald?” Winona inched closer to the table with an inquisitive look on her face, “You mean that gem he was holding-- the source of his power?”  
“Hold on,” Vector laughed as if he didn’t believe her, “You actually don’t know what a Chaos Emerald is? You’re joking… you’ve got to be.”  
She had a vacant expression when she realized how serious the Crocodile was. She truly didn’t understand the severity of the situation, Espio could tell. She looked at all three of them and sat upright in her seat, hugging herself tightly.  
“Is that bad?”  
“Very bad.” Espio answered bluntly, “We pay dearly for it when they land in the wrong hands. Doctor Eggman’s put the entire world at the brink of extinction once or twice with them--”  
She furrowed her brow and spoke with innocent confusion, “...Doctor who?”  
“Doctor Eggman,” The three of them said in unison. Even Charmy had looked up from his beeping videogame, looking at her dumbfounded.   
“How do you not know about Doctor Eggman?” Asked the Bee.   
“T-To tell you the truth, I haven’t ever been in this Realm for this long since I was ten. I never had the liberty to exist here, not while my brother was imprisoned. I felt the responsibility to see his sentence out until the day he died. But then, well, you’ve seen how that turned out.” She laughed and shook her head, “I don’t know anything about how the world has been since my absence. I don’t even know what that thing is--” She pointed at the Gameboy in Charmy’s hands. “So, I guess you could consider me quite clueless. Perhaps you could explain this Eggman to me in simple terms--”  
“Aint nothin’ simple about Eggman, Princess.” Vector said quietly, “He’s insane. Sick in the head. You don’t want to hear about the damage he’s done with all seven Chaos Emeralds at his disposal. See, here’s the thing--” The waitress brought them a pot of coffee, setting four mugs in front of them all, Vector waited until she was gone to continue. Winona continued to listen as she poured herself a cup. “--If you’re pissed off, and you’ve got one of those Emeralds in your hands, it’ll reflect your malice. On the flip side, if you’ve got a heart of gold, it can also do a whole lot of good. But Eggman…” Vector shook his head, “He’s nothing if not pure evil.”  
“Intention.” Said Winona with a nod. “Intention is key.”  
“You bet it is, and last time I checked, your brother had nothing but malicious intent.”  
She held her head in her hands, “You’d be right about that. God, how did he get his hands on it? With that gem, he was so powerful. It might have been the most power I’ve ever seen--”  
“I’ve seen power. You had more power last night during the exorcism than he did at the castle.” Espio interjected, clasping his hands together and resting them on the table. “With power like that, you should have no problem taking your brother out of the equation--”  
“I beg your pardon?” Her confusion was amplified by his words, “I-- I don’t remember anything from last night. I hardly remember how I got into that bed in your guest bedroom. Though, apparently, whatever I did worked.” She looked at Charmy, who had grown bored of the conversation and was now consumed by the game in his hands. “If I’m going to be completely honest, I don’t even know if that was me or if it was the stone.”  
“It was you.” Espio insisted with a flat tone, “It was all you. You were floating, and your eyes were glowing so bright that it was blinding. The air was vibrating. I’ve never seen anything like it.”  
Winona was shocked by his words. Her breathing quickened, and Espio noticed that she was bouncing her leg under the table nervously. “Well, that’s frightening if that truly is the case…” She cleared her throat, “You see, intention is also very important when it comes to my craft. If I lose myself like that, the results could be very dangerous-- though I can’t help but doubt that you’re being completely honest with me. I’m simply not capable of doing anything that you explained.”  
“You did. I’m no liar.”   
“Perhaps you aren’t lying, but I’m being serious. Even during the witching hour, I shouldn’t have enough power to fly or levitate. Power like that is considered witchcraft of the fourth level. To put this in perspective for you, I’m not even at level one.” She looked outside the window at the passing cars, resting her head against the glass, “Witches my age should be able to speak to Gods, yet I can do nothing more but pray and hope that one day they’ll hear me. If my brother hadn’t torn down the Castle and everything around it, I would have attended a school where they could have taught me to do much greater things-- I can’t do much more besides protections, healings, divination--”  
Espio couldn’t tell if she was lying through her teeth or being genuine. What he saw last night was impressive. Perhaps she just didn’t know about her full potential? Though, if she was lying, why play it down to them? She was an enigma that he wanted to understand-- her power, the nature of her gifts-- they all interested him. Most of all, he wanted to know about the involvement of his Clan with these supposed Witches, but alas, it was not a priority. So, he told himself he would just have to be patient for answers.  
“What about somethin’ like a hex?” Vector suggested, “Or a curse? Couldn’t you curse your brother?”  
“That’s black magic.” Winona explained, “I am capable of hexes or jinxes, but with black magic, there’s always a catch. There’s a cost for everything. Besides, a hex wouldn’t be strong enough to even trip my brother. Hexes manifest in little disturbances, simple inconveniences. He’d laugh it off… as for curses…” She looked at the Crocodile with a sad smile, “That’s witchcraft at the fifth level, the highest level. Even if I could curse him, it would be suicide. The universe would punish me severely.”  
“Like karma?” Espio asked.  
“Yes, precisely.”  
He cleared his throat, then looked at her gravely, “So how do you plan on handling your brother, if you aren’t powerful enough?”  
She simply shrugged. “I’ve got to figure something out. I’ve been reading, researching, studying-- I’ve been doing everything I can. I’ll find a way somehow.” She sighed “Failure simply isn’t an option.”  
“Listen, we know people who can help you-- You could stay with us--”  
“That’s out of the question.” She cut Vector off, “I appreciate your kindness, but if something happened to you or anybody else because of my failure to keep my brother chained in the Spirit Realm, I might not forgive myself.”  
“And what if somethin’ happens to you?” Vector asked as their food arrived at the table. “What if you can’t stop your brother? What will happen then?”  
“I have Klaus. He wouldn’t let anything happen to me.”  
“Speaking of Klaus,” Espio crossed his arms, “I hope I don’t overstep any boundaries here, so feel free not to answer if you aren’t comfortable.” He leaned in, “Why do you let him put you down like that? Why do you tolerate the way he looks down on you?”  
She blinked at him and sat there, red in the face. She clearly hadn’t expected him to be so forward, so she cleared her throat and hesitated before she answered him. “H-He doesn’t mean it that way. Though, ever since we arrived from the Spirit Realm, he’s been very… different. He’s been on edge. Angrier than usual. Though, if I was in his position, I’d probably be just as irritable.”  
“What do you mean, if you were in his position?”  
“Well, let me put it this way.” She took a bite of her food and swallowed before she continued, “Imagine you’re starving. You’ve always been starving. One day, out of nowhere, you’re surrounded by the most delicious food. However, you can’t eat it, because if you gave into temptation, you’d lose yourself completely. And, the more that you eat, the more of yourself-- your identity, is lost. You become a primal animal, eating all the food in sight. That’s what a mortal soul is to a Demon. We are their food.” She said this casually, eating her eggs between sentences. “This is why Klaus is different. He hasn’t eaten a soul in his entire life as a Demon. Now that he’s in the Realm of the Living, he’s surrounded by food constantly. Every time someone passes him on the street, he’s tortured by their smell. That’s why he’s so much smaller than the others, and that’s also why he’s able to maintain the form of a Mobian. He’s got a sense of self. He has an identity.” She twirled a fork between her fingers and sighed, “He’s been my only companion since I can remember. Even though I know in the back of my mind that he must have committed a terrible sin in his past life to be reborn as a Demon, I’m quite soft for him. He’s taken care of me.”  
“Do you love him?”  
“Hm?”  
Vector repeated himself, “Do you love him or somethin’? Do you two have a thing?”  
She shook her head and scoffed, “Of course not. Well, perhaps I love him in the most platonic way possible. We have a century of an age gap.” She laughed, “Besides, that would be unnatural. Mortals can’t love spirits, or vice versa.”  
“Aren’t you worried that he might become unhinged?” Espio asked. “What if one day, he snaps and eats somebody? What if he eats you?”  
“I won’t lie, that has been a genuine concern of mine. But we simply cannot return to the Aether. My brother’s made an awful mess of the place. I’m safer here than I am there.”  
Espio had a bad feeling about Klaus. Somehow, he knew that he’d become a problem at some point. Though, he had nothing more than suspicion to prove it. It seemed that Winona cracked under the pressure of Espio’s hard stare-- and he of course, didn’t blame her. He must have struck a nerve or something because she swiftly changed the subject. She leaned toward Charmy and watched him tap at his Gameboy, sticking his tongue out as he did so.  
“Are you going to tell me what that little device is? It looks like fun.”  
“It’s a video game.” The Bee said it as if it were obvious, but it was clear that to her it just wasn’t that simple. “You play games on it.”  
“What kind of games?” She asked.  
“This one is a thirty-two-bit dungeon crawler. You play as a knight who has to go into this castle to save a lady from a bunch of cannibal vampires.”  
She made a half-amused, half confused expression. Charmy’s words clearly went right over her head. Regardless of her lack of understanding, she watched him play his game with interest. Vector leaned in to watch him play also, pointing at the little screen on the game console.  
“You missed an easter egg.”  
“What? No I didn’t!”  
“Yes you did, look.”  
Espio could relate to Winona in some way. He remembered a time before he joined the Chaotix when modernized technology baffled him just as much. Though he was much younger than her at the time, it was still a vivid feeling-- one that he had difficulty describing. He knew how it felt to come here from a culture and a birthplace that was so starkly different from the hustle and bustle of the city-- he remembered being on edge for years until he finally grew comfortable inside the chaos.   
Charmy and Vector were both giving Winona a very scattered explanation of the game's plot, which she was more interested in than the actual game itself. Charmy had tried to put the Gameboy in her hands, but she returned it nervously quite quickly. During Vector’s long-winded lesson on the game’s lore, the waitress brought them their bill. While Winona listened politely, she pulled from her bag a generous amount of cash, setting it atop the receipt. Despite knowing nothing about anything Vector was saying, she sat in attentive silence.   
“You should come over again sometime, Winona. Then I can show you what I’m talking about-- the soundtrack is spectacular.”  
“Vector, I doubt she’s interested--”  
“It’s okay, Espio. I actually wouldn’t mind the company. Though, I think I should get going for now.” She stood from her booth, “Klaus is probably rather cross with me, I don’t want to keep him waiting much longer. I’ve got a lot to tell him.”  
“Wait--” Espio reached into his pocket and pulled out their business card, then slid it across the table toward her. “We owe you one. If you need anything, anything at all… just give us a call.”  
She took the card and glanced down at it for a moment, then looked up to the Ninja with an appreciative smile. “Thank you,” She then waved them goodbye and left the Chaotix at the diner. Espio felt strange as he watched her leave. He couldn’t quite understand why, but he felt a twinge of disappointment. He stared off into the empty mug in front of him while Vector and Charmy carried on their conversation about their video game as he tried to decipher his feelings internally.   
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To her surprise, Klaus was absent from the hotel room when she entered. She felt guilty for feeling relieved, but she just wasn’t sure that she could handle getting the silent treatment because she decided to go against his wishes and spend time with those detectives. She knew those boys were no harm at all, but Klaus just didn’t understand that. According to him, most men had nothing but crooked reasons to be speaking to her-- Now, Winona knew well that she could be quite naive and gullible at times, but she considered herself an excellent judge of character. That being said, there was one among the three of those detectives that she just couldn’t wrap her head around no matter how hard she tried.  
That Chameleon.  
Vector was sweet and gentle despite also being quite loud, perhaps even a little overwhelmingly so. Charmy was a typical teenage boy-- sarcastic and full of life and energy. Those two were charming and full of radiance. Espio wasn’t hard to characterize, but he was so different from the other two that he stuck out blaringly. He was serious and intense, sometimes he even came off a bit cold. Unlike his partners, he didn’t wear his emotions on his sleeve. She knew that she was liked by Charmy and Vector, but as for Espio, she wasn’t sure.   
It made her feel a bit insecure. Although, she didn’t have the time to be worrying about what some detective thought about her. She had bigger things on her plate at the moment, so she decided to melt her anxiety away in a hot shower.   
Though, it didn’t really work as well as she hoped.  
She was biting her nails as she exited the bathroom after getting dressed. Klaus was sitting at the table in the corner, reading a paper. His red eyes flashed up to her as she approached. Just from the look he gave her, she could tell that he wasn’t happy. She swallowed as she forced a smile.  
“Is something the matter, Klaus?”  
“Princess, I believe your brother’s stunt in the Aether has left its mark on this Realm, look.”  
She felt relieved to know that he hadn’t found out about her little outing with the Chaotix. However, her relief was short-lived. The headline on the newspaper made her heart drop to her stomach and reading the gruesome details made her even a little nauseous.   
“Fourteen murders?”   
“Fifteen, now. That was published a few days ago, there’s since been one more victim.” Klaus explained with a grave expression. “If you ask me, I’d say that boy wasn’t the only one possessed that night.”  
Winona pulled up a chair next to him, “You think this is residual? Perhaps something my brother had planned?”  
“I have no doubt that it’s residual, Princess.”  
“We have to do something about it.” Winona stammered, “We can’t just let it go on-- Perhaps if we got a hold of one of those Chaos Emeralds--”  
“Chaos Emeralds?”  
“That gem that my brother got his power from, it’s called a Chaos Emerald. Apparently, they have extraordinary power. Perhaps we could get our hands on one of those and we can find a way to banish the demons back to the Aether.”  
Klaus narrowed his eyes at her with suspicion, “How did you learn that?”  
She chuckled nervously, “Oh, you know me. I read about it, of course.”  
His suspicion did not ease, but he also didn’t ask any questions. Instead, he continued the conversation after taking the paper from her hands.  
“You let me worry about these killings. You should stay inside where it’s safe--”  
“--You can’t be serious. It’s my fault they’ve happened in the first place, the least I can do is help fix the situation before it gets too out of hand--”  
“--I can’t let you do that, Princess. The streets of this city are far too dangerous for you. After all, Witch Hunters are sure to know by now that there’s a Witch in town.”  
“Again with this? How many times do I have to tell you, Klaus? Witch Hunters are a thing of the past. There hasn’t been an established troupe of Witch Hunters for centuries.” She begged him with her eyes, “I can’t stay cooped up here forever. I can handle myself in the city.” She began to tear up, “Contrary to what you believed, I managed to pull off a perfectly executed exorcism last night without your supervision. You told me that going there would be a waste of time and yet I saved that boy--”  
“Princess,” Klaus shook his head sadly, standing from his chair and then crouching beside her. “I never meant to doubt you.” She looked away bitterly. “You know that I’m just trying to keep you safe. Haven’t I always kept you safe?”  
“Yes,” She sniffed.  
“I need you to trust that I know what’s best for you, Princess. I wouldn’t ever think of allowing you to walk into a situation that I knew wasn’t safe for you. You do trust me, don’t you?”  
She nodded her head with a quiver of her bottom lip.  
“Then I must hear you promise me.”  
“Klaus, I promise I trust you, but--”  
“No, Princess, I need you to promise me that you won’t leave this hotel.”  
“What?”  
“I need you to promise me you won’t leave. Promise me that you won’t make me worry for you. Promise me that I won’t find you dead somewhere, because I failed to protect you.”  
A tear fell from her cheek to her chin, and she quickly swept it away with her finger. She didn’t want to. She didn’t want to promise to stay in this musty hotel room forever. She just couldn’t bear the thought of sitting with her back against the floral patterned wallpaper for hours, days, weeks. She simply didn’t want to. She wanted to explore the city and live as a normal person should. She wanted to browse the library and find some fantastic new horror novel to gush over instead of sitting in this prison-- doomed to waste away under the pressure of her own expectations of herself. No, she wouldn’t have it. That sounded like torture.   
But, just as she had grown angry enough to tell him that, she noticed the way that he was looking at her had changed. His gentle tenderness was replaced by a look of severity. Not once in her life has he ever given her such a mean face. It was a warning, like one that a parent would give to a bratty child-- and yet there was something far more sinister behind it. What little courage she did have before fled entirely. She cursed herself for being so cowardly, but she was simply too frightened to tell him the word ‘no.’  
“Yes Klaus,” She said through a shaky breath, “I promise.”


	9. 9

Of course, the Chaotix were delighted to finally get a new case. They had enough money after a weekend of tips from the bar to get enough groceries to feed themselves for a couple of weeks-- but there was still all of the destroyed furniture in Charmy’s bedroom that had yet to be replaced. So, when their new client promised a handsome reward for their services, they jumped on the opportunity immediately. Only this time, Charmy accompanied them.   
It was a short drive into the heart of the city, but the traffic was thick and unrelenting. Espio could name plenty of places he’d rather be than stuck in their little grey car in the middle of a busy street. But of course, for the type of money they were looking at, he couldn’t complain. Even though he already had a headache from Vector and Charmy’s excited ramblings about some zombie T.V. show they were watching the night before, he’d just have to bear through it until he got to the Hotel.   
It was called the Oceanview Hotel because it sat on the coastline by the pier. They stayed there once when their electricity had been shut off after Vector had forgotten to pay their bill. They knew that it wasn’t fancy, but it was an affordable option for tourists. So, they expected a full parking lot upon their arrival-- one that would be hard to navigate. Espio anticipated that he’d have to calm Vector after an inevitable episode of spazzing as he struggled to find a parking spot-- but it seemed that today just wouldn’t be one of those days. He knew better by now that nothing was ever so easily predictable.   
Their jaws dropped when they saw the scene. There were flashing lights from police squads scattered all around the hotel. Families were leaving in crowds, holding their children close with concern plastered all over their faces as they piled into their cars and minivans. Vector pulled into a front parking spot, then looked back at his two partners with excitement.  
“This is it, boys. We’ve got a big case!”  
“That must be why we were promised so much money…” Espio looked into the rearview mirror and watched as several policemen exited the hotel lobby. “You better be on your best behavior, Charmy.” He muttered, turning to the bee, “The city police already think we’re a laughingstock, we’ll never get a case as big as this one again if we mess it up.”  
“Yeah, yeah,” Charmy replied dismissively. “D’ya think they have a pool in there?” He peeked out of the back windshield and gawked at the hotel, “We didn’t get to see if there was a pool last time.”  
“Tell ya’ what, Charm.” Vector laughed, “If you keep quiet for a few hours I just might get ya’ that new game you’ve been wanting. Sound like a plan?”  
The bee smiled deviously. “You’ve got yourself a deal, Vec.”  
The detectives received familiar dirty looks from the policemen as they exited their vehicle. Espio was used to this-- law enforcement only cooperated with The Chaotix because they had to. If it were up to the Cops, they’d never have any cases at all. The Ninja could understand their disdain. They were private detectives with a less than perfect record who often impeded on their own investigations. Those officers thought they were nothing more than a mere annoyance. They actually got stopped at the lobby door by two officers, one of which had an entertained smile.   
“Now where do you boys think you’re goin’? This hotel is closed to everyone besides long term residents--”  
“You know who we are, boys.” Said Vector this politely, yet refused to hide the snark in his voice, “We’re not goin’ to go through this every time we run into each other.”  
“It’s childish.” Espio commented spitefully, noticing an eye-roll from the officer to the left. “The family has hired us to investigate, I suggest you respect their wishes and step aside so that we can get them the answers that they’ve been waiting for.”  
The officer to the right scoffed, glancing at his amused colleague, “I heard you abandoned your last case. Just disappeared. Are you sure you’re here to offer closure to the family…?” The officer stepped closer to Espio, looking down at him with a smug smile. “Or are you just here to make a quick buck?” The Ninja felt challenged, so he too stepped forward and looked the policeman in the eyes.  
“Unlike you, we don’t get paid by the hour. You get paid even if the job is half-assed. If we make a mistake, we go home with nothing. Stop acting like you’re any better than we are, it’s embarrassing for you.”  
He pushed past them and strode right into the hotel lobby, and as his two partners followed him, he heard the officer whisper to his partner.   
“See, if Sonic lived in this city, there would never have been a sixteenth murder. It never would have gotten this far.”  
Espio rolled his eyes and shook his head. It was always Sonic.   
Sonic. Sonic. Sonic.  
He couldn’t help but be bitter. He knew that Vector felt the same way too. For years they’ve operated in Sonic’s shadow. Sure, they put away some dangerous people. But Sonic? The fight he fought made a difference in the world. Everybody liked him, and everybody envied him. Espio, though he kept it hidden, felt the same way. They’d even helped Sonic on a few occasions, and the Ninja liked to think he played a prevalent role during the Zombot Pandemic. But Sonic got most of the credit. He didn’t hate the guy, of course. They were good friends and they spoke often-- but it was so hard not to feel competitive. He was a beacon in the eyes of many, something that Espio was embarrassed to admit was something he so desperately wanted.   
“So, everybody’s been cleared out. ‘Cept for the uh, long term residents or the folks that plan on staying for a long time, of course. So, nobody else should be gettin’ in our way.” Vector explained as they passed the concierge and headed straight toward an elevator. “I’ve got three autopsy reports. A mother and two kids. The mother was killed with blunt force trauma to the head, and the kids… aw, geez.” Vector shook his head as they entered the elevator. “Strangled.”  
Espio looked at the floor. “I assume we’re looking for the father.”  
“You’d be right about that, Es. The father is the main suspect and fled the premises after the attack. What we’re here to do is see if we can determine his whereabouts. He’s been hiding.”  
“What kind of coward kills his own children?” The Ninja muttered, folding his arms as the elevator dinged and the doors slid open. “Assuming he isn’t under supernatural influence--”  
“--He was. That’s why I called the family first.”  
“You what? Vector, that’s against protocol--”  
“Espio, look at the bigger picture. This guy used his wife’s blood to draw pentagrams all over the hotel room just like the other fifteen ritualistic murders throughout the city. Unlike other detectives, we actually know what’s goin’ on. The same thing could have happened to us if it wasn’t for Winona, you know that.”  
“So what are we supposed to do if you’re right about that? Convince law enforcement that there have been mass demonic possessions throughout the city, forcing people to kill their loved ones? Those imbeciles think they’re looking for cultists--”  
“I haven’t decided what we’re going to do when it comes down to that, but I know we’ll figure out what’s right. We always do.” Vector replied to Espio as they paced down the fifth floor, “Besides, maybe this will bring us one step closer to finding that missing Chaos Emerald. Wouldn’t it be nice to find it before Sonic does for a change?”  
Now, Espio couldn’t deny that he’d love for that to happen. However, Vector clearly didn’t realize the predicament that he’d just put them in. How on Mobius were they supposed to solve this murder if it was in fact perpetrated by a demon piloting the body of some poor man who’d just been forced to kill his entire family? It was no wonder that nobody else would take the case-- it was impossible to crack. He sighed as they approached the hotel room that was blocked off by bright yellow tape that read “Active Crime Scene.” They removed the tape and swung open the door.  
It wasn’t exactly a bloodbath, but it wasn’t a pretty sight either. The two beds on the side of the room were completely untouched, but the left side of the room seemed to be where the incident mainly took place. Upon closer inspection, they found a generous pool of dried blood beside the electric fireplace.   
‘This must be where the wife was struck.’ Espio noted internally as he scanned the room. There were indeed cultish-looking pentagrams painted all along the room’s floral wallpaper, and Vector struggled to determine a purpose for them. They were simply there-- they didn’t glow like the circles that they watched Winona summon. They didn’t float about mystically, and they didn’t have such an aura as hers did either. They were just painted, bloody, dripping down the walls beside chicken-scratch letters from a language that they couldn’t understand. Curious, Espio pulled from his pocket a little notebook. He scribbled the letters onto the paper, mimicking them as best he could before exploring the rest of the room.   
“There was some strugglin’, look.” Vector pointed at the blood smeared on the white, broken trim of the door leading to the bathroom. They followed the trail all around the room, which led back to the pool of blood in front of the fireplace. Espio crouched and tried to envision just how many whacks it would have taken to the head for the wife to bleed this much--but without a murder weapon, he couldn’t make that conclusion.   
As Vector and Espio made their silent observations throughout the room, scribbling their thoughts onto their notepads-- Charmy found himself trying to help as best he could nonverbally. He floated throughout the room, carried by his little buzzing wings. However, he just couldn’t find anything that Vector and Espio hadn’t already noted. That was until he finally got bored and rested his hand on the wooden mantelpiece around the fireplace. Instead of cold hardwood, he accidentally placed his fingers into something wet and gooey. He made a face of utter disgust as he slowly removed his hand from the bloody mantelpiece. He looked to his partners for help, but they were too engrossed with their own investigations that they didn’t notice the blood on Charmy’s gloves.   
“H-Hey, uh-- guys?”  
“Charmy what did I tell you about stayin’ quiet?”  
The bee cleared his throat, “W-Well, I found more blood and--”  
“There’s blood everywhere, Charmy.” Espio said, shaking his head, “If you can’t handle it, maybe you should wait in the hallway.”  
“No, it’s not that, just look!”  
Disgruntled, Espio shot the Bee a look of annoyance. However, he soon realized that Charmy was right. It wasn’t a common occurrence for the Bee to actually find valuable evidence during their investigations, so Espio was pleasantly surprised to see what it was that his partner was actually referring to. Atop the mantelpiece was a stamp of blood in a rectangular shape. It was as if something had been lathered in red, then placed on the fireplace for just a brief moment before being moved. Vector walked over to see what they were looking at and smiled when he understood what they were seeing.  
“Nice one, Charm!”   
“I don’t get it.” Said the Bee dully, “I don’t really know what I’m looking at.”  
“The murder weapon.” Espio explained, “He must have placed it here.”  
“But it’s gone,” Charmy muttered, still confused.  
“He likely took it with him before he left. I assume he also brought the rest of his belongings with him as well, there’s only three suitcases in the closet.” Espio said as he dragged the suitcases out from the closet by the bathroom, “Let’s hope the wife brought her wallet with her, if we can find some addresses we may be able to find where the husband is hiding out.”  
So, for the remainder of their visit at the hotel, they searched through the contents of the family’s suitcases. However, they only found a few items worth their interest. One of which was of course, the wife’s wallet. Inside contained only a few dollar bills, a license with their current home address, a couple of business cards, and a work ID. Besides that, they found a diary that Vector promptly pocketed since they didn’t exactly have the time at that given moment to give it a proper read, and they also found a polaroid picture of the entire family during their stay at the hotel.   
“That makes me shiver, look.” Vector pointed to the picture of their suspect, a caramel-colored rabbit in business attire. He looked normal, smiling at the camera that was held by the wife, acting as if he was perfectly content. Though, he did have a scratch on his face and bags under his eyes as if he simply didn’t sleep at all during their visit. “How can someone go from vacationing and taking cuddly photos with their family to just--” The crocodile gestured toward the dripping blood on the walls.   
“Well, if he is in fact under demonic influence, you already know that one doesn’t have to necessarily be possessed to just become agitated and irritable. Think about it, you looked like you were going to rip my head off in that castle. If that can happen to you without even having a demon inside of you, imagine what you would have done if you were actually possessed.” Espio pointed at Charmy, who wasn’t at all listening, “This one overpowered the both of us. Imagine what horror this guy’s family had to go through.”  
Vector sighed, “We better find this guy fast.”  
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Winona woke to the sound of sirens. With a whine, she squinted into the hotel room which was lit with red and blue flashing lights that came from behind the sheer curtains of the window across from her. Rubbing her tired eyes, she lifted herself up into a sitting position slowly while feeling around on the nightstand beside her. Her fingers glided around the cold wooden surface until she finally found her glasses, which cured her blurry vision as she put them on her face.   
She stood from the bed and looked over her shoulder. Klaus was nowhere to be seen. Since he didn’t sleep himself, he found himself quite bored at night while she slept and would always be quite eager to greet her in the morning. His absence was odd, but she didn’t think too much about it. He was quite busy investigating the first few murders that occurred when they arrived from the Spirit Realm, so she figured he’d be gone for quite a while-- or at least, she secretly hoped he would.   
Curiously, she peeked out of the window and peered into the parking lot a few stories below. She didn’t understand what was going on at first, but as soon as she read “Police” on the side of the flashing car, she realized that something bad must have happened. It especially worried her when she watched them carry from the front entrance what looked like the obvious outline of a body in a bag atop a rolling cart. Then, shortly after, they carried out another body. Then, another body. She watched with her mouth agape, sensing a looming feeling of dread as they loaded them into a truck and drove off into the city.   
She ignored the strange looks she got as she rushed into the hallway barefoot and dressed only in her pajamas. Her intuition was screaming in her head-- she already knew what happened. She already knew that the sixteenth murder had taken place in the hotel she was staying at, but she had to hear it for herself. She headed straight to the receptionist’s desk where there was a woman seated, speaking on the phone loudly.  
“I’m so sorry to disrupt your summer vacation plans, ma'am, but due to certain unforeseen circumstances, I have to issue refunds and cancellations to everybody who planned on checking in tonight-- Yes, I understand how frustrating this is-- Well, we are being forced to comply with Police instruction-- Oh?” The woman behind the desk scoffed angrily as she slammed the phone down onto the receiver and looked up at Winona, shaking her head. “People can be so rude over the phone-- can you believe that nobody is even willing to consider the position I’m in? What do they want me to do? Everyone on the fifth floor has to be cleared out! There’s no other option! It’s an active crime scene, for crying out loud!”  
“Active crime scene?”  
“Yes, you haven’t heard yet? One of those cult murderers checked in here then killed his wife and kids, it was awful.” The woman spoke casually, aggressively chewing gum between her teeth, “I feel terrible for housekeeping, the owner is too cheap to hire a proper crime scene cleanup crew--”  
“Children? There were children?” Winona’s voice cracked and suddenly she felt frozen in time for just a moment. There was a numbness in her throat, and her chest radiated heat. Her thoughts were clouded with an uncomfortable, deep shame-- but she maintained a calm expression in an effort to hide the suffocating guilt that weighed her heart down into her stomach. Her eyes darted to the Policemen working outside who were struggling to calm a crowd of worried parents. She wondered if they would someday learn that she failed to prevent her brother’s arrival from the Spirit Realm and find her partially responsible for the deaths of these people.  
“Isn’t it awful?” The receptionist clicked her tongue and shook her head, “Anyway, we’re asking most families to leave tonight, though you are welcome to stay if you have nowhere else to go.”  
Winona struggled to respond and uttered a quick and quiet “Thank you,” before returning to her hotel room in a daze. She shut the door behind her and just stood there for a while. She stood alone for an hour, expecting for Klaus to eventually find her consumed in her bubble of self-loathing and guilt-- but he never came. So, she sat there and grieved for a little while longer until a thought occurred to her.  
What would her sister Theodora say if she could see Winona now? Crouched on the floor grieving somebody that she didn’t even know? Taking orders from a demon whose mind was slowly spiraling? Cowering, too afraid to take action? Well, Theo would have thought that her behavior was simply unacceptable. Theo would have called Winona very mean names that would have inevitably made her cry, but then after breaking her down into her most vulnerable state, Theo would build her back up again until she was fully confident to handle the situation-- even if she would have to do it all by herself. Her twin sister, albeit young at the time, was just very intense like that. She was everything that Winona wasn’t-- a wild-child who didn’t care what anybody thought about her, a free spirit who spoke her opinion even if nobody asked for it. She solved her own problems, even if they were caused by herself-- She looked up to her sister, even if they were the same age. So, the thought that Theodora could be watching her from the afterlife at this very moment, shaking her head in disappointment-- well, it made Winona feel the responsibility to act, even if she failed again, and again, and again.   
The dull pain in her heart still throbbed, but Winona forced herself to get up. There was something that she could do to atone for her negligence-- but she just hoped that she still had it in her. She reached for her shoulder bag that was tucked behind the door and pulled out a delicate-looking box.   
Divination was a strength of hers. Speaking to the dead had always come naturally-- but she hadn’t done it in such a long time. She didn’t really utilize the skill when she was in the Aether simply because she didn’t have to-- Spirits lived there, afterall. In the Spirit Realm, one could simply walk up to a Spirit and speak to it-- but in the Realm of the Living, it was a bit more complicated than that.   
She slid a deck of worn, intricately designed tarot cards from the box and forced herself to smile. She planned to get a head start on this murder, even if Klaus wouldn’t be happy about it. Though, she figured she wasn’t technically going against his wishes-- after all, she wouldn’t be leaving the hotel at all. It was the city that was his real concern, right?   
Right.  
Content with the conclusion that she came to, she cleared the pessimistic thoughts from her mind and sat upright on the bed with the tarot cards in her lap. If she was going to do this, she was going to have to be sure not to allow her personal feelings to meddle with her intention. She was going to have to be completely and utterly calm. Her energy-- her vibration-- She knew no ghost would want to speak to a Witch with such a muddy aura.  
She was going to have to uplift herself since she knew that there was no one else who could.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, thank you again for reading this far. I apologize for the slow build-up, I've been trying to pace the story appropriately since it is going to be kind of slow burn in terms of romance. Please let me know if there's anything I can be doing better or if you have any general comments or concerns!!


	10. 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, I'd like to start this chapter off with a trigger warning. The second half of this chapter mentions suicide and hanging. Viewer discretion is advised.

She could sense them behind the door to the Hotel room. Sometimes, she could even hear their voices. Long ago, she learned that it was easier to hear the whispers and murmurs of the dead if she shut off one of her other five senses. So, she sat on the carpet of the fifth floor of the Oceanview Hotel with a makeshift blindfold over her eyes while shuffling the deck of tarot cards in her hands. She’d been sitting there for over an hour now, and yet still it seemed that the ghosts of the three victims were reluctant to speak to her. Though, she couldn’t exactly blame them. The shock of being killed in such a way-- at the hands of someone they no doubt dearly trusted-- must have been tremendously devastating. She didn’t even want to think about how those poor children must have felt after their young lives were swept out from under them so suddenly during a family holiday.   
No, she had to shake away those thoughts. She couldn’t let her emotions cloud and disturb her energy if she wanted to get any information from these ghosts. To be honest, she had never had such a hard time contacting the dead before-- usually, she could simply speak and they would speak back. However, this situation was much different. She’d never actually spoken to a Spirit immediately after their death before. Winona could sense their melancholic aura from behind the taped-off door, and it made her feel as though her very presence there was inappropriate. It felt as if she was impeding on something. Winona also felt as though she had no choice, and she had honestly grown quite bored of waiting. So, she cleared her throat to speak.  
“You know, I know how frustrating it is to feel stuck and alone. It’s distressing and after a while, it gets dreadfully boring. I’ve only been here for a week, and let me tell you-- you do not want to be stuck here for all eternity. This isn’t the afterlife that you, nor your daughters deserve.” Winona sat the tarot cards down onto the carpet. “I can help bring you somewhere in the Aether where you can exist in eternal bliss-- but we can’t do that unless we sever all the ties that keep you bound here. We’ll have to get your family the answers they deserve. I’m sure they’re terribly devastated after what’s happened to you.”  
The whispering halted after she spoke, and the silence that followed was nearly deafening. She felt as though she had to accept that the Spirits would not talk to her verbally. But that was okay, at least she had their attention. Winona decided that she should take the opportunity and begin.  
She spread out the cards on the ground in a rainbow shape and hovered her hands over them. Using nothing but her intuition, she allowed her right hand to explore the cards, touching and tapping them gently. She knew when she came about the right card when she got a tingling feeling in her fingertips, so she flipped up the card without a second thought. She then used her left hand to parade the spread until she found a second card. Winona repeated this process until four cards sat in front of her. She would have continued, but she felt a little tired after using so much of her energy and concentration. So, content with her results, she began to remove the blindfold when she was suddenly grabbed by the forearm.  
“Ma’am, you are not supposed to be here! This is an active crime scene!” The stockings that she had tied around her head that acted as her blindfold were suddenly snatched away, and she was now face to face with the same police officer who had caught her trying to sneak up to the fifth floor just a couple of hours earlier. “I was being nice when I just gave you a warning before,” The Officer continued, “I should have you cited for trespassing!”  
Winona winced under his tight grip around her arm, “O-Okay! Okay, I-I’ll just leave, just let me go please.” She tried to pull herself out of his grasp, but the officer kept her arm in a firm squeeze.  
“No, I’m escorting you out of the building ma’am, you do not belong here.”  
The Officer dragged her all the way to the elevator at the end of the hallway and pressed the button on the wall as Winona resisted at his side. She was flustered and honestly kind of scared. She wasn’t worried about what the police might do to her-- she was actually more concerned about how she was going to explain to Klaus that she got trespassed from the building. Not only would he be upset that she decided to investigate the sixteenth murder on her own, but she was willing to bet that he’d be furious with her after coming back to the hotel room only to find her gone-- even if it was against her will. However, with a nervous glance at the Officer’s firearm, she decided it would be best to comply with the orders she was being given.   
Lucky for her, that wasn’t how this situation would play out at all. As the metal elevator doors swung open, she was met with two confused, yet familiar faces. Espio and Vector stood inside of the elevator, their widened eyes glancing from the Officer to her, then to the Officer again. She mouthed the word ‘help’ at them while the policeman wasn’t looking-- so Espio looked up to Vector, who promptly swung into action.   
“Good afternoon, detectives.” The Officer greeted unenthusiastically.  
“Excuse me, what in the hell do you think you’re doin’?” Vector put his hands on his hips, “First you give us trouble at the door yesterday, now you’re tryin’ to arrest our colleague? What’s next, you gonna arrest us too?”  
The Officer furrowed his brow, “Colleague?” He looked at Winona, who swiped her hand from his grasp, “How was I supposed to know? I’ve never seen you guys work with her once in my life--”  
“Nobody else has clearance to get up here, wise guy.” Said Vector, ushering Winona back into the hallway, “Can’t believe how unprofessional cops can be these days.” He scoffed and shook his head. Espio stood silently at the Crocodile’s side with a smug smirk, eyeing the officer with his arms crossed. The Officer swore at the two detectives under his breath as the elevator doors closed and carried him to the first floor. Meanwhile, with a relieved sigh, Winona turned to Espio and Vector.  
“Thank you,” She put a hand to her anxious racing heart and laughed nervously, “I could’ve just gotten into quite the pickle, huh?”  
“What are you doing here?” Espio asked, his smile fading, “You’re not supposed to be up here, are you aware of the entire family that was murdered on this floor?”  
Winona corrected her posture, “I am, actually. Although, I’ve actually been here for a week now-- The murder is why I’m on this floor though.” She turned to the tarot cards in front of the door which had been thrown about the hallway haphazardly during her scuffle with the Officer and sighed, “Well, that’s fantastic.” She scurried over and bent to pick up the cards while the two detectives stood by, watching her curiously.  
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

She was so weird. He couldn’t deny that. Not that it was a bad thing-- but he found that everything she did was just so… unpredictable. She was crouched near the floor, muttering to herself as she flipped the cards around. She looked at them with deep consideration, meticulously arranging them into a shape. Espio and Vector peered over her shoulder with their brows raised. The Ninja cleared his throat.  
“Um, Winona, you didn’t exactly answer my question--”  
She spun her head toward him, “--Huh? Oh!” She laughed and held her head in her hand, “I’m sorry, I’m in my own little world here. I’m speaking to the dead people. The lady and her two children.” She said this casually as she turned back to her spread on the floor and continued to arrange the cards around until she made a sudden expression of realization and her face flushed red “Oh, I understand-- If you two are here you must be assigned to this case! Let me get out of your way--”  
Vector held up a hand and chuckled, “No, actually I’m quite interested in what they might be sayin’, can you tell us?”  
Espio glanced at his partner disapprovingly. Even if they did get some valuable information from her this way, was it really okay to use clues that they gathered from the Dead to aid in their case? He thought about it for a moment-- he supposed it couldn’t necessarily hurt so long as whatever the Spirits told her were accurate. Though, they might get even more odd looks from law enforcement for relying on a Spiritualist-- but that didn’t really matter if they actually managed to solve this case with her help. Espio then knew exactly what was going through Vector's mind. The Crocodile had a thoughtful grin on his face.   
Winona looked up at Vector as if she hadn’t expected him to be interested in her little endeavor at all. She smiled meekly and nodded. “Erm, well,” She cleared her throat and pointed to the first card which depicted the image of a heart with three swords piercing it, “This entire event was triggered by something that caused significant heartbreak. I get the feeling that your suspect wasn’t thoroughly possessed until the actual event took place-- this is what we call ‘oppression’-- which is the process of becoming possessed by an entity.” She spoke clearly with articulation, yet didn’t look at them at all as if their presence made her nervous. Espio took her words into consideration, thinking about the picture they had found in the wife’s wallet. “I suspect… infidelity.” She nodded, “Yes, his wife had an affair. That’s what triggered him. He must have found out while they were staying here, and in his moment of weakness, the Demon decided to strike and take over.”  
“You can tell all of that from just that one card?” Espio asked.  
The Ninja wasn’t completely foreign to tarot cards. Amy often used them to tell fortunes, usually in an effort to see if she and Sonic would ever date-- but he didn’t know that they could be used to contact the dead. Winona seemed to know what she was doing, and after seeing what she was capable of after Charmy’s exorcism, he trusted her expertise completely. Even if she was a little clumsy about it.   
Winona looked at him unenthused as if she felt insulted, “Yes, is that a problem, Chameleon? Are you skeptical?”  
Vector shook his head, “No not at all, we’re just--”  
“--Impressed.” Espio replied, “Continue, please.”  
He received an odd, yet surprised look from his partner, which he ignored. Winona looked away again and cleared her throat, picking up the second card. She held the upside-down image of the Queen of Wands in her hand, which depicted a woman sitting upon a throne with a sunflower scepter in her hand. Winona gave this card extra consideration, looking at it as if she were absorbing information from it-- like a computer downloading data.   
“He didn’t immediately react upon hearing this news. In fact, the Demon allowed this man to entertain it with his sorrow. He festered for a while, feeding the demon with his pessimism. If you can recall, I told you in that forest-- a Mortal Soul tastes better to a Demon after prolonged suffering.” She shook her head and Espio ignored the shiver that shot down his spine as the thought of the teal trees of the winding woods invaded his mind, “Anyways, the sunflower represents an object--”  
“Perhaps a murder weapon?” Vector asked enthusiastically. Espio could tell that the Crocodile was enthralled by her explanation. His partner was listening with giddiness, tapping his foot excitedly.  
“Perhaps.” Winona replied, “Whatever it is, it’s important. It’s an object that contains a lot of sentimental value. Something that to him represented his wife’s loyalty… something that she used to express her adoration for him. I also get the sense that it represented the longevity of their relationship.” She bit her lip as she thought, “A container? Or a box? I’m not entirely sure. It’s pretty hefty-- say, how were they killed?”  
The two detectives looked at each other with amazement in their eyes.   
“Blunt force trauma,” Vector muttered.   
The corner of her mouth twitched upward before she turned to look at them, “Don’t quote me, I cannot guarantee that this thing is your murder weapon, so please don’t get your hopes up. All I know is that you should look for it.” Espio nodded and wrote down everything she had told them into a notepad, flashing his eyes back up at her when he was finished, prompting her to continue. She cleared her throat, “The tower,” She held up the card in front of their faces. The art on the card was indeed just that-- a tower. It was tall and made of stone, and it was crumbling down into the people below it. “This is the event itself, not much to say about this one, honestly. It’s just an unforeseen tragedy.” She made a sad noise as she turned the card over. For a second, Espio noticed that she had become distracted or disturbed by something and had fallen silent.  
Espio knew somehow that she was channeling those Spirits. It was something that he knew only his Clan’s elders to be capable of. They never did it often-- but Espio had been lucky enough to see it happen once during a festival that he attended as a child. Though, when his elders did it, it was much more aggressive and obvious-- and perhaps even a little theatrical for the sake of the ritual. In his Clan, it was considered something that could only be done by Shinobi of the highest caliber. However, Winona did it very discreetly and naturally as if it was a sixth sense. To put it simply, Espio was astonished. Blown away, even. He might have even felt a bit of jealousy.   
She continued after she noticed him staring, “The final card is somewhat enigmatic to me--” She lifted the fourth card up to their eye level. A man had been struck down onto the ground, impaled by ten swords in his back. “The Ten of Swords symbolic meaning is obvious at surface level, but there’s something more here that isn’t quite clear to me.” She inspected it closely, “I feel as though this particular event has yet to happen. It’ll be a severance. A permanent severance. I could make predictions but,” She shook her head and clicked her tongue, “I’m not too great at that sort of thing, I’m afraid.” When she was finished, she bent to continue picking up her cards with a relatively unbothered expression. The two dumbfounded detectives just sat and looked at her. When she looked back up at them, she looked a little uncomfortable.  
“What?” She asked.  
“How would you feel about joining a Detective Agency?” Asked Vector suddenly. Espio could practically see the dollar signs in his partner’s eyes, and the Ninja could do nothing more than shake his head. Though, Espio certainly couldn’t argue against Vector’s offer to her. If he didn’t know for certain that her words would come to fruition, he would maybe advise against making that decision so quickly. However, he had full confidence in her skills. She’d proven herself to them in more than one way already, and he had no reason to believe that she wasn’t telling the truth.   
Winona’s mixed expression made it evident that she didn’t quite know what to say. She looked around the hall as she contemplated, but after some consideration she finally responded with a shake of her head. “No. I-I wish I could, but your priorities and my own do not align. Besides,” she looked away in an attempt to hide the sad glint in her eye with a look of disinterest, “I’m not really supposed to leave here.”  
“Come on, Winona.” Vector’s attempt to make her reconsider came off rather pushy, and she shrank near the wall as the Crocodile begged, “We could totally help you handle your brother. What do you say? You scratch our back and we’ll scratch yours! Or maybe, you could just come with us while we scope some places out--”  
Espio held his partner back, “Vector, she said no. Let’s respect her wishes. After all, she’s already been a big help to us. Let’s just take those pictures of the blood splatter like we originally planned and get going.” The Crocodile sighed in disappointment. Before the two detectives proceeded into the crime scene for one last time, Espio turned to look at Winona.  
“The offer still stands if you change your mind.”  
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...  
Winona was gone by the time they were finished, and so, they left for their secondary location-- the family’s home. It was your typical two-story residential with a white picket fence. It was located a city away, and it was an hour and a half ride to get there. Honestly, they hadn’t expected to find anything at all. So, they planned to make their sweep through the home quick. As the sun began to set behind them, Vector threw a cigarette butt onto the driveway while he exited their vehicle, then stamped on it with his boot as they looked up at the house.  
It was a little eerie knowing the context of what had happened to the family. Regardless of that, Vector pushed a key into the lock and opened the front door. They’d walked into a dark living room and nodded to each other when it was time to split up. Vector explored the downstairs area of the house, whereas Espio continued on upstairs toward the bedrooms. He felt a heaviness as he passed the Children’s bedrooms, so, he proceeded straight into the Master Bedroom.   
It was a little messy with an occasional sock or shirt strewn about the room, but other than that, everything was perfectly ordinary. Beside the bed, above a nightstand was a couple of shelves that held little nick-nacks and curiosities. Between a picture of the Wife and Husband on their wedding day and a tiny sculpture of a bird, there was a large gap of space as if something was missing from that spot on the shelf. Beyond that, there was nothing more that interested him, so he met up with Vector in the living room. The Crocodile looked frustrated.  
“Well, nothing’s here. This was a good ol’ waste of time--”  
“There’s still the garage,” Espio suggested, “We might as well look while we’re here.”  
Vector groaned, “There’s probably nothin’ in that garage-- but I guess you’re right.”   
His partner followed him outside to the garage begrudgingly. Together, they reached down to the sliding garage door and lifted it up.   
What they saw left them in awe.  
“A permanent severance, huh?”   
It was the body that Vector was referring to. It was hung from a beam on the garage ceiling, swinging still as if it had just happened moments before their arrival. Their suspect was dead, that much was certain. His face was purple and his body was red. It was a hard sight to look at, and so, Espio simply looked away. And, as he did, he noticed a little bloody trail. He followed it to a workbench, which he reached under.  
And viola.   
It was their murder weapon, alright. A little wooden jewelry box covered in dried, muddy-looking blood. Vector loomed over the Ninja’s shoulder and smiled.   
“It’s almost too good to be true.”  
Espio turned the object over and weighed it in his hands. Yes, if it was held with one of the four corners facing outward, one could certainly take a life with it. Curious, the Ninja opened the box and was a little startled when a stack of papers fell out. Vector crouched and picked up one of the many handwritten notes, quickly scanning it with his eyes before looking up to Espio with his mouth wide open.   
“Dude, these are all love letters-- Look,” The Crocodile bent and grabbed another note off of the floor, “This one is, like, twenty somethin’ years old. Look!” Vector pushed the note into Espio’s hands, “It’s just like what Winona said-- it’s sentimental-- it’s about loyalty-- It represents the longevity of their relationship over the span of twenty years, maybe even more!”  
The Ninja didn’t even know what to say. What Winona had described to them was so specific-- it left him with no words. If that was what a Witch at the lowest level was capable of, he wondered what she could do if she reached her peak potential. He was in so much shellshock that he didn’t even notice Vector reading the Wife’s diary that they’d recovered from her luggage.   
“Yep, sure enough.” The Crocodile passed him the diary, “She was in fact cheating on him,”  
Espio skimmed through the passage. It was just as Vector said-- The Wife had written about her woes, feeling trapped in a marriage. Her happiness and needs went unfulfilled while the husband worked to keep a roof over their heads. So, she cracked. To put it in her own words, she “needed some excitement” in her “melancholic bore of a life”. So, she sought comfort in the love of another man. Unknowingly sealing her fate at the hands of her angry, Demon-possessed husband. Ironically, the love letters that she wrote for him long ago would play the starring role in bringing her to her ultimate end.   
The Ninja lowered his head and silently paid his respect to the dead.  
It was another case closed.

Vector could not contain his excitement as they left in their car back to the Agency. He was nearly shouting in Espio’s ear, going on about how crazy that entire experience was. But the Ninja was only half listening up until Vector nearly ran a red light.  
“Vector, pay attention to the road!”  
“--I’m sorry it’s just--” The Crocodile slammed on the break and turned to face his partner, “We need to get that girl on our team.”  
“You heard her yourself, Vector, she has more pressing matters that she needs to have dealt with.” Espio shrugged, “Perhaps she’ll change her mind--”  
“--No, we’ve got to make her change her mind.” Vector hit the gas a little too hard once the stoplight turned green and narrowly bumped the curb as he turned on the intersection, “Imagine the money we could make--”  
“We can’t force her to do anything, Vector. She’s got a lot on her plate. I won’t allow you to pester her anymore or else she might never be willing to help us again in the first place. She has our card if she ever needs us.”  
Vector grumbled as he pulled into the alleyway behind their house. It was dark at that point, and before the Ninja headed up the stairs to turn in for the night, he figured it would be wise to grab the mail before he went in since they had neglected to do so on their way out earlier that day. However, as he opened the mailbox, he was surprised to see no ordinary mail. No bills, no advertisements-- just a scroll. His mouth fell open.   
It was a message from home.


	11. 11

Winona sensed something deeply unsettling about Klaus upon his return to the Oceanview Hotel. Something was wrong with him. His aura was agitated, inconsistent and pulsating with rage-- which made her feel on edge. Upon hearing the news about the sixteenth demonic attack, he came to the conclusion that it had happened much too close to Winona for comfort, and he insisted that they relocate to another hotel. Due to his odd behavior, she decided that it would be in her best interest not to argue with him. She complied with his wishes and checked out of the hotel early the next morning. While she was glad to be rid of the place, she just couldn’t bring herself to express her happiness-- not while Klaus followed her in her shadow with such aggressiveness.   
She felt rather awkward. He’d been silently brooding since they’d left. Given the circumstances, she just wasn’t comfortable being in the dark about how Klaus was feeling. She knew that he must have been feeling so overwhelmed as they passed the crowds of people on the sidewalks of the city. Their scent seemed to amplify his agitation to the point where his aura became menacing-- and to be honest, it was beginning to frighten her. She felt as though at any given moment, Klaus would lunge at a passerby and devour their soul. So, when she spoke, she’d hoped to distract him.  
“Klaus?”  
Silence.  
“Klaus, I was hoping we could talk.”  
Again, silence.  
“I know you’re probably angry with me.” She said as she dodged a couple of giddy high schoolers who were excitedly parading the shops in the city, “You’re right to be angry. I should have summoned you the second I found out about the killings. I just-- you’ve got to consider my position. You haven’t been yourself since we arrived here. I hate to say it, but--”  
“--You’re afraid of me.” His disembodied voice sounded weak, devoid of any emotion. It didn’t sound right. It was almost like she was speaking to a stranger.   
“...Yes, Klaus.” She admitted, “It makes me sad. A Witch should never fear her Soul Link. So, I was wondering if perhaps we could implement a rule of absolute transparency.”  
“Do you not trust me?”  
His tired voice sent a shiver down her spine. He slurred his words and spoke slowly like a drunk. She gulped and continued to speak cautiously with a nervous laugh, “Don’t be silly, Klaus. Of course, I trust you. I’d just like to know what you’ve been doing. How you’ve been feeling. You know, so I can properly gauge an appropriate way to respond to you. I’d like to consider your feelings before I speak.” She smiled, “That way, we can avoid any disagreements.”  
He responded in a near whisper, “...Absolute transparency, huh?”  
She headed across a crosswalk and intentionally turned down a less crowded street. It was a bit of a detour that would perhaps extend their walk by another ten minutes, but she found that it was worth it when Klaus’s energy eventually somewhat stabilized. “Yes. Perhaps you could tell me all about your investigations, and I could tell you all about my research. It could be a bonding experience. Lovely, don’t you think?”  
“...Perhaps.”  
“So, would you like to start? Where were you the past couple of days?”  
Klaus didn’t immediately respond. She heard him shakily inhale as a family of four brushed past them. His vibration immediately revered back to its original malicious state. His aura was hot, and it felt like pins and needles were being poked into her shoulder blades. Winona held her breath as the family passed by. Luckily, Klaus managed to restrain himself.   
“Not now.” He answered with a growl, “I’m too distracted.”  
She nodded her head. That wasn’t a good sign. Not at all. She bit her nails in her nervousness. She never knew Klaus to be so short-tempered with her. The admittance of his impure thoughts as the family passed them was enough to make her start panicking. She began to quicken her pace and she did her best to maintain enough distance from the other people on the city’s streets. She would cringe every time somebody got just a little too close-- especially if someone would move behind her toward her shadow. Klaus’s breathing became audible and heavy, and Winona began to pray that they’d make it to the hotel without any incident.   
But like always, her prayers went unanswered.  
She let out a scream when Klaus grabbed her roughly from behind, digging his claws into her waist and pulling her into an alleyway. He let go of her immediately, assuming his solid form and staggering over to the brick wall of a retail store. She put a hand to her racing heart as she watched him lean against the wall. She lifted her shirt and checked her waist, thankful that she had only scratched her. Klaus was trembling and muttering to himself like a patient in an asylum as he rested his head on the wall. For a split second there, Winona genuinely feared that he was going to eat her.  
“I’m sorry Princess, I’m so sorry.” He grunted and punched into the brick, indenting it with his fist. He was sweating and huffing and sputtering like a maniac. She was terrified of him. Though, at the same time, she couldn’t bring herself to run even though her primal survival instincts told her to. Her empathy for him ran too deep, and she worried for him more than she feared him. He’d been suppressing his natural demonic needs for so long. He’d been living in complete starvation all of his undead life. Yet, for her sake, he was willing to hold himself back. He was a predator. She was prey. She knew this, yet when she looked at the twisted savageness on his face, she could see nothing but a friend who was suffering tremendously.  
“Klaus--”  
“Just go, Princess. Please, just go. I’ll meet up with you later. I can’t be around you right now--” His voice morphed and deepened into one that was evil and completely unfamiliar, “You just… smell too fucking good.”  
Her face turned pale and she nodded as terror washed over her. She was too afraid to turn away from him, so she simply backed out of the alleyway and booked it toward the Hotel. She couldn’t help the tears that were spilling over her cheeks-- and she received worried looks from the citizens of the city as she sprinted by them. She wiped her tears only after she burst through the doors of the new Hotel.   
It was a shabby place, she couldn’t deny. It wasn’t ideal, but she honestly didn’t care about its condition. So long that she was away from Klaus for now, it didn’t matter where she was. She maintained her composure long enough to check into her new hotel room. However, as soon as the door shut behind her-- Winona cracked wide open.   
She released the pressure that was weighing on her as she let out a long, choking sob. She’d been holding in her anxiety for so long-- pushing it into the back of her mind until finally being triggered by her fear. There were so many things that sat on her shoulders. Her brother and the Chaos Emerald that he stole, the demonic killings all around the city-- and now, her only companion was losing his mind. It would only be a matter of time now until he would give in to temptation and eat somebody. She sat onto the bed and attempted to calm herself, steadying her breathing with the help of a puff from an inhaler from her shoulder bag. She then laid onto her back and began to whisper incantations to herself until she was finally calm. 

The next morning, she laid there on the bed facing away from him. She knew that he was sitting there at the table, waiting to greet her as she woke, but Winona just couldn’t muster the courage to turn to face him. However, it seemed that it didn’t even matter. He knew she was awake. And, after a while, he must have grown bored of waiting. He began to speak. At first, she couldn’t tell if he was speaking to her or if he was simply thinking aloud-- but his voice was calm and actually quite pleasant, so she listened until he addressed her.  
“When I was mortal, I read this novel that I didn’t wholly appreciate at the time. It was about a Nun who lived at a monastery that overlooked this volcanic lake. Inside of the lake lived this monster that took the form of a man on dry land. The monster fell in love with the Nun, enthralled by her purity. However, it did not understand the concept of chastity, and killed her when it was met with rejection.” She could hear Klaus’s fingertip tapping at the table in front of him, “I understood the metaphor, I just didn’t care for it at the time. Now that I think about it, I’ve started to appreciate the idea that darkness cannot exist without light. One cannot learn right from wrong if there is no example to learn from.” He paused, “I suppose what I mean to say is-- If not for you, Princess, my undead life wouldn’t have any meaning.” Her head perked up and she listened as he continued, “I’m lucky to be graced with your patience. I often think that, if our paths hadn’t crossed, I might be nothing more than a mindless monster.”  
She allowed herself to sit up and face him. She was unsure whether she should feel flattered or concerned. Klaus never spoke like this. Although it was pleasant, the fact that it was unnatural for him made it feel eerie. He also looked so abnormal with such a soft expression on his face. Usually, she’d be met with hardened eyes when she looked at him no matter what kind of mood he was in, but right now he looked so genuine. So vulnerable. Like a real Mobian. The only difference would be the lack of pupils in his beaming red eyes.  
“You are not a monster, Klaus.” She said with a gentle voice, “And I am not a Nun, nor are you in love with me. You’re comparing apples to oranges. You’re correct to say that darkness cannot exist without the light, but they cannot coexist. There will always be friction between light and dark because they will always struggle to dominate each other.”  
His brief hesitation made Winona feel nervous and she wondered if what she said wasn’t at all what he wanted to hear, but then he let out a light chuckle, “I suppose you’re right. You are so very wise, Princess.” He peeked beyond the space between the blinds on the window, from which a sliver of light illuminated his face, “You like books about monsters, I was wondering if perhaps you’ve read that one?”  
“No, Klaus. I haven’t.”  
“I didn’t think so. It was very niche, even in my time.” He then looked at her with a serious expression, “I’m sorry for putting my hands on you. I’m sorry that I made you afraid. I was wrong.”  
She looked at him, wondering why the sorrow in his eyes looked so insincere. He said that he was sorry, but there was hardly any remorse in his voice. However, with the desire to keep the peace, she said nothing to express her suspicion of him. She continued to speak with a cautious, gentle tone as if she were talking to a child.  
“You didn’t mean it, Klaus. It was a moment of weakness, which is something that happens to everybody.”  
He nodded, accepting her response as he gazed out the window. There was a short silence that followed until a thought popped into his head. He blinked his eyes, then looked down at his clawed paws. She noticed this shift in behavior as she watched him carefully.   
“I have a strange question if you don’t mind.”  
“Go ahead.”  
“No--” He laughed and shook his head, “It’s too odd--”  
“Nothing is too odd, Klaus. Remember our agreement to absolute transparency?” She smiled as she urged him to continue with the intention to determine whether or not the Klaus that she once knew was the same Klaus that sat across from her, “I promise, I’m not here to judge you.”  
He nodded as he stared down at the table, “I suppose I was wondering-- do you think monsters can be loved?”  
“Well, that depends on your definition of a monster.”  
“Rapists. Murderers. Child predators.” He said all these horrendous things so casually as he stared into his reflection in the glossy wood table, then looked up at her as he continued, “Do you think they can be loved?”  
She exhaled a shaky breath, wondering if he meant to imply something. “I-I suppose… I suppose that depends on who you ask, I think. I believe that there are some people willing to look past a lot of things for the sake of love. I’ve never been in love before, but if I understand it correctly, I’d say you fall in love with whoever you fall in love with. It is not a choice. My own brother is a monster, and yet my mother loved him regardless. Though, personally, there are things that I could never look past for the sake of love-- I could never love somebody who has committed the crimes you’ve listed. Not ever.” She looked away, “Because if I were to love somebody like that, I would be disregarding the pain that their victims have suffered.”  
She hadn’t expected Klaus to respond so pleasantly to her words. He smiled at her as though proud,“You are so very wise, Princess.”  
And, although he said that, she couldn’t decide if his words were actually genuine or if the demon was putting up some sort of front. Whatever it was, she didn’t trust it. Not one bit.  
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

There was a reason why Espio only made the journey home if it was absolutely necessary-- which was because it was such a long trip to begin with. He had to take four different trains, which led him through four different cities in the span of two days. And, from there, he’d have to walk the rest of the way through a canyon, which usually took a day and a half depending on how many breaks he took. Then, after that, he would continue on through farmland until he reached the mountains.  
The Shinobi Clan Sanctuary was a deadly place that he called home. In order to get into their base, he’d have to cross a boobie-trapped chasm in a cave hidden in the mountainside. The path would look intimidating to any normal Mobian, but he knew all of the secrets. He was able to cross the chasm on an invisible bridge, avoiding swinging axes and flying deadly projectiles with ease. Of course, it was well worth all of the trouble, because the beauty of their little hidden community was simply unmatched.  
The cherry blossom petals carried a sweet scent in the wind as he exited the cave and entered the village tucked away inside of the mountain. He was greeted by familiar faces as he followed a little cobblestone path, the soft tune of a shamisen playing in the distance. The other Shinobi that passed him bowed to him, and he returned their respectful gesture each time. He walked straight through the residential area toward the Master’s temple, crossing a wooden bridge that was suspended over a thin steady stream of water, where little Chameleons played and chased each other. It was so serene, and if he weren’t visiting for strict business, he would have stopped to enjoy the scenery. Alas, he had no choice but to head straight into the temple.   
He was surprised to find a spread of food on a table as he entered the massive wooden building. Upon realizing that it was all of his absolute favorites, he smirked and shook his head. From the other side of the temple, his mother materialized before him. She smiled as if content with the surprise that she’d made for him and sat at the cushion across the table.   
“Mother, it’s not my birthday.” Espio said, sitting at the other side of the table, “Surely you didn’t go through the trouble to summon me just for some lunch.”  
“Well, I have missed you.” Replied the female Chameleon as she grabbed a pair of chopsticks and crossed her legs, “A mother can only go so long without seeing her son’s face. But you are right, of course. There are some more… pressing matters I must have you attend to. So I figured we could talk over lunch. The journey here from the city must be so tiring.”  
His mother was never so affectionate-- but it had been a few years since he’d been home, so of course, he appreciated the warm welcome. Sitting across from his mother and enjoying a home-cooked meal made him feel like a child again. However, that warm fuzzy feeling was short-lived. Like the true Master she was, she wanted to get straight down to business.   
“You know, I heard through the grapevine that you’ve become acquainted with a certain Aetherborn Princess.”  
Espio coughed, nearly choking on his food. “H-How--” He swallowed the food that was caught in his throat, “How did you know that?”  
“You know I have eyes everywhere, son. I assume that you have plenty of questions.”  
“I--” He’d expected to be assigned a mission that had something to do with politics between the other Clans-- certainly, the last thing he expected was his Master to be concerned with Winona of all people. He gave his Master a quizzical look, “I have many questions, yes. Winona spoke of some sort of alliance between ourselves and their monarchy-- but I’ve never learned of any such alliance in school or during my training. Is there a reason that it was kept a secret?”  
The Master shook her head and swallowed her food before she responded to him, “It was no secret. We just don’t speak of it.” She sighed and sat her chopsticks down, supporting her chin in the palm of her hand and looking past his shoulder as she spoke as if reminiscing, “It was a mistake to form an alliance, but even if I could go back in time, I wouldn’t have done anything differently. The tragedy was an eye-opening experience for our Clan, even if it was heartbreaking.”  
“You mean… the genocide, Master?”  
“Yes.” His mother stood suddenly with a somber expression, then turned away to look out of a window to their left. He could tell as he watched her gently push aside the sheer curtain that she was recalling something painful. She sighed, then cleared her throat, “You see, when I was just a little bit younger than you, I was sent on a mission overseas to gather information about a brand new established kingdom whose expanding power intimidated our allies. I was expected to assassinate the Queen.” She laughed, “However, our allies at the time left out some details. They neglected to tell us that I was facing Witches and Warlocks, who would vastly outnumber and overpower me. It was a set up-- our allies sought to have me, the daughter of the Master, killed. It was going to be a declaration of war.”  
“I imagine they hoped to anger the Aetherborns to persuade them to join the war against us?”  
His master chuckled, “You are so clever. Yes, they wanted the power of the Witches to help eradicate our race. But,” She clicked her tongue, “That just wasn’t going to happen. You see, the Aetherborns were too smart to be manipulated like that. Even if the Queen was a naive little girl--” Espio had never heard his mother speak so fondly of somebody, and it made him realize just how deep their relationship with the Aetherborns must have been. He continued to listen, completely and utterly captivated by her story. “She was my age. Young. Intelligent. Full of mercy. And I was going to kill her in cold blood. I planned to do it while she sat at this little terrace in a garden while she was distracted by the book in her hands…” His Master hesitated, exhaling a breath slowly, “But she saw through my camouflage. I was caught in her sixth sense. She looked me in the eyes and she said-- ‘If you mean to kill me, could you at least tell me why?’”  
“What did you do after that?”  
“Well, I ran.” His mother smiled at him with strange excitement in her eyes, “How was I supposed to assassinate somebody who could sense my malice like that? I ran like a coward. She’d shaken me. There was something powerful about her that just spooked me. So, I just sprinted off without any clear destination in mind. I was young, inexperienced, and afraid-- so I wasn’t watching where I was going. I had run into a forest and straight into a bear trap.”  
Espio had stopped eating. She had his full, undivided attention. “But, Moth--” He swiftly corrected himself, “--Master, you don’t have a single scar on your body. Wouldn’t a bear trap leave a lasting scar?”  
“Of course it would, that is if she hadn’t come back to look for me, of course. I didn’t want her help, but she wouldn’t get away from me. I was so agitated and annoyed, yet she wouldn’t yield no matter how much I thrashed her with my blade. Somehow, she calmed me, and freed me-- then she forced this awful bitter potion down my throat, and just like that, I was healed. I was too tired to fight her after that. I just let her take me to the castle.” His Master sat back down at her place across the table, “It took some time, but we warmed up to each other. Even if we were polar opposites, we got along quite well. I didn’t have the heart to kill her after that. She just had this effect on me-- I felt like she truly understood me. After a while, I realized that I was going to have to go home as a failure. But, I was okay with that. The honor simply wasn’t worth taking her life, she was far too innocent. Her people were happy and thriving. Her kingdom was nearly a utopia.” The Master resumed eating, “So, I left as a proud failure. Just to find out that my Master had found out about our allies' plot to destroy us-- so, technically, I wasn’t considered a failure at all. They were actually quite pleased to hear that I hadn’t touched the Aetherborn Queen.”  
“So, when was the alliance formed?”  
“After I became Master, of course. It was one of the very first things I did. I was interested in their talents, and they taught us many things. In exchange, I offered our services to them. For a very long time, our Shinobi were their royal guard. It was the strongest alliance we’ve ever had.”  
“So then, why do you consider it a mistake?”  
“Because of Prince Varrick.” His mother bit her lip, “I knew there was something wrong with that boy-- I knew his heart was plagued with some sort of evil, but I neglected to say anything. A certain incident had occurred after her girls were born-- our Shinobi were going missing at that castle. I knew it was that boy, but the Queen simply refused to entertain the idea. She banished us. Ten years later, the Prince had the entire kingdom slaughtered.” She sighed, “When I found out that little Winona’s body was never recovered, I issued a search party-- but we couldn’t find the Princess. Ever since then, I’ve kept an eye out-- I knew that if Varrick ever turned up again, she would be the only one capable of bringing him down. So, that’s why I summoned you here.” She then looked at her son with a grim expression, “If Prince Varrick has the power to escape from the Spirit Realm, then he will be sure to devastate the Realm of the Living. Trust me when I say that it’s in his nature to destroy. He will seek to eliminate Winona at all costs. My mission for you, my son, is as follows:” He puffed his chest and returned her serious gaze, clinging to her every word.  
The Bride of Constant Vigil continued, “You must protect the Aetherborn Princess. You must guard her with your life. Eliminate any and all potential dangers. The survival of this world could very well depend on the survival of that girl.”


	12. 12

Klaus was hot and cold following their last uncomfortable interaction. Either he was silent and irritable, twitching in rage-- or, he was entirely way too pleasant. It was a daily cycle. Just when Winona thought that she was making progress with him and he’d start giving her details about his investigations of the murders, he’d suddenly withdraw and stop cooperating altogether. If she insisted that he continue, he’d lash out cruelly-- sometimes even going as far as to insult her intelligence. Then, after he’d realize the gravity of his words and how they had upset her, he’d be so nice and gentle that it almost made her sick. He’d pick up books for her to read and shower her with honeyed words and compliments. Contrary to his expectations, it never actually made her feel any better when he did this. It just made her so much more aware of his delirium.   
When he put his hands on her for the second time, she knew that something must be done. She couldn’t continue acting as his prisoner in that hotel room.  
It happened when she’d grown detached from the situation. She wouldn’t speak to him. She couldn’t-- after all, it always just caused her more pain if she’d respond to her shattered friend, and after many days enduring his cycle of abuse, she simply couldn’t spend her energy on him anymore. At first, Klaus simply joined her silence. However, with time, her quietness just enrages him even more. He lunged at her suddenly and pinned her against the wall, holding her shoulders so tightly that his claws dug deep into her skin. The searing hot pain caused her to cry out-- and it seemed that her voice struck recognition inside of him. He removed himself from her immediately, muttering apologies as she slid to the floor in absolute shock. He was begging her for her forgiveness feverishly-- but she wasn’t hearing any of it.   
“Get away from me”  
“Princess, please--”  
Her gaze was indirect and her eyes, weighted by her fatigue, didn’t even look at him. She was giving him an order. She made it clear in her voice that she was not asking him to leave, but demanding him to leave. “Get away from me, Klaus.” The fierce vulnerability in her words injured him. He said nothing, then disappeared into a puff of smoke, leaving her there bleeding from her shoulders and trembling. And, she sat there for a very long time, staring down at a speck in the carpet until the shock wore off and the pain intensified. She forced herself to clean up in the shower.  
That was the last straw.   
She didn’t see him for two whole days after that. She didn’t know what he was up to, and she simply didn’t care. All she was worried about was that he might come back with bloodlust in his eyes and take out all of his frustrations onto her.  
She was in survival mode. She wasn’t thinking about all of the good times that she had shared with Klaus. She wasn’t thinking about the lovely late-night talks that they shared in the Aether. She simply wasn’t reminiscing the friend that kept her company for half of her life and had kept her safe for so long-- because if she did think about that, even for a second, she might not survive. Her pity and sympathy for him would get in the way. Winona refused to be Klaus’s victim. Certainly not when she had her brother still left to deal with.  
So, she ordered room service.   
Steak dinner with a side of mashed potatoes with gravy. She didn’t even eat red meat. In fact, red meat disgusted her. Granted, it wasn’t really the meal she was interested in.  
She sat there on the bed as she waited, her unfocused, vacant eyes staring off into the plain white wall above the light switch. She was going over her plan over and over and over in her head until she ironed out every possible kink-- every possible scenario that could occur that might lead to her failure. Every element of risk had to be eliminated if she was going to survive. She had to have a response prepared for anything that Klaus might say or do. Winona had to be sure that her strategic precaution was foolproof.   
The knock at the door startled her.  
“Room service!”  
She jumped to her feet and darted to the door, opening it and forcing a smile at the housekeeper who handed her a meal on a wooden tray. She nodded and whispered a “Thank you,” then as the housekeeper turned away, she looked up and down the hallway before returning to the room and shutting the door. Gently, she set the meal onto the dresser across from the bed. Her shaking fingers hovered over the plate, grasping the steak knife that sat on the tray with the rest of the silverware. She looked into her reflection in the silver glint-- and although the girl in the reflection was identical to herself, it didn’t feel like it was truly her. She sighed and moved away from the fragrant meal atop the dresser, sitting on the bed and twirling the blade in her hands.   
Then, she buried her weapon under the pillow.  
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The chat he’d had with his Master was fresh in his mind the entire journey back to the city. He spent most of his time on those trains wondering just how he was going to pull this off. He was beginning to wish that he had allowed Vector to pressure Winona into joining the Chaotix-- it certainly would have made this venture very convenient for him. At least he knew that she was staying at the Oceanview Hotel, but he was a bit concerned with how exactly he was going to keep an eye on her. Afterall, his mother had implied that his invisibility may not work on her for very long. And, there was also the issue with Klaus. He would have to find some way to sneak around that territorial lap-dog of a demon.   
No matter, he had confidence that he’d figure it out with some time. He pushed away his concerns as he stepped off the train and exited the city’s station. He debated bringing the belongings that he carried on his back home before he left for the hotel, but he shook off the idea. He didn’t want to handle this mission irresponsibly. Even if he was operating in the comfort of his home city, he shouldn’t allow himself to get distracted or sidetracked. His first priority was to find Winona and figure out what to do from there. So, he headed straight for the Oceanview.   
It seemed that the hotel had resumed normal operation as if the murder hadn’t even happened. In fact, it almost seemed busier than normal-- the parking lot was spilling over the brim with cars. It was so full that some people opted to park on the curb of the street. He expected that, of course. It always happened like that. Supposed ghost hunters. Self-proclaimed Mediums. Admirers of the macabre. They liked to gather after particularly gruesome cases-- usually ones that sparked rumors after being plastered all over the news. If he were to be honest, he’d say that those types of people were definitely not his favorite. They were disrespectful, in his opinion. In his Clan, he was taught that the Spirits were meant to be revered. The dead should be admired and appreciated, not gawked at and pestered like zoo animals in a cage.   
He refused to even glance at the Paranormal Investigator group that he pushed out of his way with a nudge of his shoulder. He also ignored them when they cussed at him bitterly, keeping his back turned to them as he faced the receptionist who recognized Espio as she laid her eyes on him. She seemed overwhelmed with the sheer amount of people in the lobby and stuttered as she greeted him.  
“Good afternoon, detective.” She glanced nervously at the group behind him, “I hope you don’t need to get into that room again-- it’s no longer a crime scene and we’re all booked up well into December--”  
“--No, Ma’am. Actually, I’m here for something unrelated. I’m looking for a resident staying here. Her name is Winona Aetherborn--”  
“--I’m sorry, detective. I can’t give out information regarding our long term residents, it’s against company policy to violate their privacy.” The clerk sat on the black leather swivel chair behind the desk while the eavesdropping trio of Paranormal Investigators behind him scoffed in annoyance. Espio raised his chin and smiled politely.  
“I am here on business, Ma’am.” He dug into his pocket and handed her his credentials, which included a badge that was begrudgingly issued to the Chaotix by Law Enforcement. He didn’t like using the Chaotix for Shinobi matters, but in this case he felt as though he had no choice. “You see, we have reason to suspect that Miss Aetherborn may have been a key witness in an isolated incident downtown.” Espio lied with ease, “I must have contact with her as soon as possible.”   
The receptionist glanced at the golden badge in his hands then quickly nodded, “O-Oh, of course. Just um,” Her eyes flashed up at the long line forming behind the Chameleon, “Just give me a second,” Then, to the dismay of the crowd of people in the lobby waiting to check-in, she began to rifle through a file of papers in a drawer in the desk when suddenly a thought occurred to her and she looked back up to him with a frazzled expression, “Oh, you know what? She checked out four or five days ago.”  
His disappointment manifested into a huff and he turned to leave, but then quickly swiveled back to face her, “Did she maybe give you an idea of where she might be headed? Maybe she mentioned a different hotel?”  
The receptionist shook her head, “No. She was real quiet about it. Actually, she seemed pretty worked up about something. Really nervous. You know, we actually got a couple of noise complaints throughout her visit. Someone called the front desk about some arguing, but when we checked in on her she was all by herself. We figured it was a mistake but,” She shrugged, “I thought maybe it was a phone call with a shitty boyfriend or something.”  
Espio mulled over this new information for a moment then nodded, “Thank you for your time,” The Chameleon then pushed through the angry bodies in the line to the desk, receiving unhappy glares until he exited the hotel.   
Well, he was in a pickle now-- but it was nothing more than a roadblock that he, no doubt, would overcome. He pondered his next move as he sat at a bench near the street outside the Oceanview while the sound of police sirens sounded in the distance. It seemed like there was an infinite number of scenarios that might have influenced Winona to check out of the hotel-- but considering what the receptionist had told him, he was able to narrow down those possibilities significantly. Though, he couldn’t help but focus solely on Klaus. After all, Winona herself had mentioned that her Demon partner was capable of turning against her, even admitting that it was a genuine fear of hers. And, the more he thought about it, the more his gut agreed with him. Ultimately, however, he decided that making assumptions and assuming the worst was a waste of time.   
He couldn’t guess where the Princess might have gone to. So, he decided he was going to have to sweep the city and comb through every single nearby hotel. Which was, not just an exhausting task-- but also horrendously inefficient. He’d been out looking for hours and had only gotten through half of the hotels in the city by the time the sun started setting. He planned to pull an all-nighter if he had to, and he was on his way to the next hotel when he felt a vibration emitting against his right thigh. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his cellphone. He was receiving a call from Vector.  
He put the phone to his ear, “What’s up?”  
“Hey, uh, are you still doing ninja business?” Espio could hear the Crocodile shuffling papers around on the other end of the line,   
Espio sighed, “Yes, Vector.”  
“Any idea when you’ll be back?”  
“I’m stationed in the city for this one, I imagine I’ll be back tonight to sleep if I can’t find what we’re looking for, but I’ll likely be gone again in the morning.”  
“Really? The city? Dude, you’ve got to come back here now. We just got an insane case--”  
“You know I can’t do that, Vector--”  
“It’s time-sensitive, Es. Please, if you’re in the city you have to come back--”  
Espio shook his head and looked down the vacant road that he stood on. At first, Espio told himself that he didn’t have any time for that. But then, an idea occurred to him. “Is it related to the other murders?”  
“I--I don’t know. It happened only a few hours ago--”  
“--Hours ago?!” Espio couldn’t restrict the shock in his voice. They’d never been called so early to a case before.  
“You heard me. They haven’t even moved the body yet. Please, you’ve got to come back. I can’t bring Charmy on this one, it’s too… gnarly.”  
The Chameleon was going to say no, but he had an odd feeling about this particular case. Vector made it sound serious, and Espio would regret not taking the opportunity to work the case if there was a possibility that it might be related to the other sixteen killings. They had run into Winona the last time while she was conducting an investigation of her own, who’s to say that the same thing wouldn’t happen again? With the hope that his luck would turn around, he replied to Vector with reluctance.  
“...Alright. Text me the address and I’ll be there.”  
Vector celebrated on the other end of the phone, “Thank you, buddy, I’ll make it worth your while!”

By the time Espio arrived at the address Vector had sent him, droplets of rain began to fall from the sky from the dark clouds that obscured the radiant crescent moon. It was like a movie with a cliche ambiance that made his stomach twist in knots. The flashing of police vehicles reflected into his eyes from the puddles forming on the concrete brick of the alleyway. He had to climb under the police tape as he walked slowly to his partner, who was crouched at the very end of the alley. The rain mixed with the blood splatter, making it drip and pool on the floor and walls. When he reached Vector’s side, he was able to take his first peek at the body. And, he only needed a second to see it and immediately look away.  
The gruesome scene was visible even behind the darkness of his eyelids. The shocked face of the dead woman on the ground was ingrained in his memory-- she was sprawled there, sitting up against the wall with her limbs limp at her sides and her neck contorted unnaturally close to her left shoulder. There was a gaping chunk missing from her throat as if someone had taken a giant bite from her jugular. It wasn’t the gore that forced him to look away, but it was the intense aura of dread that infected the body. Vector must have also noticed the potent odor of sulfur-- because his partner turned to face him with his hand pressing one of Vanilla’s handkerchiefs firmly to his snout.   
“Yeah, there’s no doubt about it, Es. It smells just like one of em’.”  
Espio agreed. Though, at the same time, the Chameleon sensed something different about the nature of the scene. There were no pentagrams on the walls-- there was no chicken-scratch otherworldly language written in blood-- it was just a woman who had been presumably eaten to death. It gave him an awful feeling. What disturbed him the most was the victim’s face-- which looked like nothing more than a soulless shell of its former self. Almost deflated looking.   
“Looks like we have a long night ahead of us.” Said the Ninja with a sigh, “I assume there were no witnesses?”  
“Actually, there was.” Vector flipped open a silver lighter and lit a cigarette between his lips before turning to his partner, “Little lady over there,” The Crocodile nodded his head toward a teenage girl sitting on a bench on the other side of the yellow tape. She had streaky mascara smudged on her cheeks and red watering eyes that looked up at the police anxiously as she recounted what she had seen. “She saw the whole thing from her cash register at the gas station where she works, just across the street. Problem is, cops don’t believe her.”  
“Because…?”  
“Because she said that the killer was a monster.” Vector let the smoke escape his mouth as he spoke and wiped his glistening face that was wet from the rain, “We can’t let these cops deal with this stuff. They don’t even know what’s goin’ on! They think the victims are bein’ gassed-- that’s their explanation for the smell.”  
Espio shook his head, “Let’s allow these amateurs to go wild with their theories-- it should keep them off of our backs.” The two detectives stepped away from the body almost in unison, seeking relief from the overwhelming odor. “Answer me honestly, what do you think the probability is that we might run into Winona after this case?”  
Vector snapped his head to his partner as if he was caught off guard, “Uh, I don’t know? Why are you so interested in her anyway? You were weird about it the other day. I dunno if I’ve ever heard you praise somebody besides yourself before--”  
The Chameleon rolled his eyes, “She’s eccentric and naive. But, I owe her respect for what she’s done for Charmy. Not only that, but you’re right to want her on our team. Her skills would be useful for us.” He sighed and gave up trying to justify himself, looking back at the body as he reached the sidewalk, “I’ll admit, I don’t feel confident about this case.”  
“Woah, the almighty ninja god isn’t confident for once.” Vector’s sarcastic teasing went unappreciated. Espio did nothing more than cross his arms in annoyance, ignoring the Crocodile’s comment altogether. “You’re right though, it might be tough to solve this one without her help.”  
“You’re missing the big picture, Vector. Even if we did have her help, how are we going to convict a demon for this crime?”  
Vector waved his hand at Espio dismissively, “You worry too much, Es. We’re gonna figure this out one way or another! Thirty years from now, they’re going to be demanding an explanation for all this. Imagine if we’re the ones who give them all the answers! We’ll be rich and justice will be served. Winona will be happy, the city will be happy, and we’ll be happy.”  
Espio sighed, “I can’t say that I share your enthusiasm.”  
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Winona woke when the light from the hallway suddenly flooded over her face as the door opened. She squinted her blurry eyes, reaching for her golden framed glasses promptly. By the time she’d set them on her face, the door closed and a familiar odor wafted over her as she was left in darkness. She was frozen in place and her heart began a rhythmic thump that was loud in her ears-- even louder than the thunder outside.  
She didn’t even remember going to bed, so she figured that she must have simply fallen asleep as she anxiously waited for Klaus to return. Under the cover of the dark, she reached for the steak knife under her pillow and held it beneath the blanket as she sat up slowly. Her eyes would not acclimate to her dark surroundings fast enough, so she swallowed her fear and spoke out into the void.  
“K-Klaus? Is that you?”  
“You’ve been sleeping for a while.” His voice was quiet and strange-- and she noticed that it came from all directions, “I came by earlier but I didn’t want to wake you. At first, I was happy because… I thought you wouldn’t be here when I came back. But then… I found something.” His tone drifted from pleasant to dull, to bitter within seconds, “I’ll admit, it stings. I thought you were better than that.”  
“What?” Winona turned and flicked on the light in a panic, but Klaus kept himself mostly obscured in the shadowy corner of the room. She cleared her throat and did her best to seem calm. All the while, she kept the knife in her firm grasp, “What do you mean, Klaus?”  
Lightning caused the room to flash with bright white light, illuminating Klaus’s body for just a split second. She couldn’t tell if it was just her mind playing tricks on her, but she thought that maybe-- just maybe-- she’d seen the glitter of bright red blood between his teeth. She forced down the warm rising fear in her chest and attempted an innocent smile, easing her trembling shoulders.   
He was changed. She could tell. There was just so much that gave it away-- his odor-- his altered appearance-- but most of all, what made it the most obvious was the venomous black foggy aura that cloaked his body and climbed up the side of the bed that she laid on. She kept a straight face as she pulled her legs away from the edge and carefully eyed him as he held up a little piece of paper between two fingers, then tossed it in her direction so that it landed right into her lap.   
“Oh, this?” It was The Chaotix's business card, the one that Espio had given her in the diner. She crumpled it in her left hand, hoping it would appease him, “They gave it to me after the exorcism. It’s nothing really--”  
“You’re lying.” He smiled at her sadly, “I always know when you’re lying. Your nose, you crinkle it when you lie.” He sighed, “You see, Princess, I know you better than anybody else. I know your habits, your interests, your desires… your weaknesses.” She gulped silently as he continued and stepped forward from the darkness, exposing his changed body. He was now taller by a whole foot and his fur was exceptionally thicker and coarse-looking. His horns were much longer and his claws were so much sharper. The more of himself that he revealed, the less confident Winona was beginning to feel in herself. “I know that you’ve seen those men behind my back. It’s okay to admit it. Denying it is futile.”  
Winona felt the pressure of tears behind her eyes, but she held them back, “They were just doing their job, Klaus. I didn’t even leave the hotel like you asked, all I did was offer them my assistance.”  
“Princess, I’ve told you-- mortals--” He grit his teeth and looked away from her. The expression on his face was animalistic. “Especially that Chameleon-- they’re no good for you.”  
“I appreciate that you’re looking out for me, Klaus,” She spoke carefully, “But with all due respect, you do not command me. You may merely give me your advice. I should not be forced to take it. We’re supposed to be working together, and yet you’ve left me in the dark--”  
“I’ve left you in the dark?!” He spat as he stepped forward and the light illuminated even more of his monstrous body, “You’re the one who suggested we implement this silly rule of transparency! And yet, even you can’t be honest! You chose the company of that Chameleon and his blubbering fool of a partner over me-- your own Soul Link!”  
“I have never chosen anybody over you, Klaus! Frankly, I don’t understand you!” She felt her anger begin to veil her fear, “I also don’t understand this vendetta you have against that Chameleon! He’s done nothing to you!”  
“I know the morality of men better than you ever will. I, for one, question his intentions.”  
She shouted at him, “And I question yours!”  
“SHUT UP, SHUT UP!” He was inches away from her within seconds, blasting his spit at her as he shouted-- looming over her face as his weight held her down onto the bed. “SHUT UP, YOU UNGRATEFUL, INCONSIDERATE BRAT!” He grabbed her by her shoulders and shook her as he screamed at her. She finally allowed the tears in her eyes to fall when he raised his right fist.  
In the same instant, Winona raised her knife.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi pals. Sorry about the late upload. I was busy obsessively refreshing the results of the U.S. Elections ever since the third and I never got a chance to sit down and write. But the wait is over now! I hope you enjoy this chapter!

She plunged the knife deep into his throat. It was a calculated swing-- landing right above his high-collared armored chest plate. His blood, thick and black, splattered onto her face and lips while his fist hovered just centimeters above her face. It was as if she had paused time-- Klaus was frozen on top of her, his eyes widened in disbelief and a pained squeak escaped his lips as the knife stuck out from his throat.  
She felt disgusted with herself. If Winona didn’t feel as though her survival depended on it, she probably would have let the Demon punch her-- but she knew that his state of mind was dwindling and the chances of him simply killing her out of rage were greater than the chances that he’d let her live. Despite the fact that the situation was dire, she still felt a wave of remorse and guilt wash over her body. She’d just stabbed her only companion of ten whole years, and it certainly didn’t make her feel good.  
They spent one last moment together as allies staring into each other's eyes. Then, Klaus’s body slowly slumped onto the floor. Winona let the knife fall with his body and for a moment, she felt too afraid to move from the bed. However, with the knowledge that one singular blow to the neck was hardly enough to kill a Demon, she forced herself to shakily crawl from the bed and run to her shoulder bag which she’d planted beside the hotel room door. With the business card still crumpled and clutched in her fist and the bag clutched tightly to her chest, she made a run for it.   
As she sprinted down the hallway, the reality of what she had just done hit her like a wall of bricks. She may as well have taken a wasps nest and shaken it up. She knew it would be stupid to assume that she would escape Klaus’s eventual rampage unscathed-- so, she made sure that she was at the stairwell before he even got the chance to get up off of the floor where she’d left him. She skipped the stairs haphazardly in her panic and even tripped and tumbled down the last few. Luckily, she would reach the first floor with nothing more than a couple of bruises and a scrape on her knee.   
The receptionist looked at her strangely while she ran at full speed through the lobby and out the door into the parking lot, but Winona had no time to be concerned about how crazy she might have looked. Not when the Demon who was chasing her could phase through walls. He could be at her side within seconds. So, Winona had no time to waste. The Witch scurried into the street, being immediately pummeled by the shower of rain. It was cloudy-- and with the light from the moon obscured, the only light she had came from the light posts that hung over the black pavement of the glossy road. She’d planned to avoid standing in their yellow light so that she could not be detected so easily, but when one of the lights on the street behind her flickered out of the corner of her eye, she paused and slowly turned around.  
Klaus stood beneath the flickering street lamp, his bloodthirsty black mist of an aura cloaking his body. Slowly, the mist crawled up the side of the lamp, enveloping it until the light suddenly went out completely. She whimpered and then dashed down the street as quickly as she could. Her heart was thumping so loudly in her ears, amplified by the warm panic that made her tremble. The tears that she cried were hidden amongst the plethora of rain droplets that hit her face sharply as she began to yell out for help-- but her cries went unanswered. Her plight could not be heard by the sleeping citizens of the city since it was muffled by the loud heavy rain and crashing thunder.   
She wasn’t even sure if the Demon was actually chasing her, but she knew it would be a mistake to turn around to find out. So, she let her legs carry her until she was well within the heart of the city. Her lungs were screaming in agony and she had no choice but to stop and catch her breath. She ducked under a bus shelter and puffed on her inhaler, allowing herself to sit and rest for what she told herself would be just a moment. She was beginning to wish she hadn’t chosen to wear one of her shorter skirts-- but the weather was so lovely earlier in the day. She simply couldn’t have predicted a storm as harsh as this. So, she held her shivering body in a desperate attempt to keep warm. As she sat in a ball on the bench beneath the shelter, the flash of approaching headlights blinded her eyes.   
It was a black van that approached the bus shelter, rolling slowly until it stopped right in front of her. Winona stood from the bench immediately as it braked and inched close to the sidewalk. She couldn’t see who might have been inside of the vehicle due to its dark tinted windows. However, she knew from the awful churning feeling in her stomach that whoever they were, they couldn't possibly have good intentions. She swallowed nervously, refusing to take her eyes off of the vehicle.  
Whoever was driving the van must have taken the keys out of the ignition because the lights turned off suddenly and the car stopped running. After a few long agonizing minutes, the passenger-side window slowly rolled down and Winona met eyes with a stranger in a black gas mask. The stranger had yelled something inaudible to her under the deep rumble of thunder, then looked at her as if expecting her to respond. Hesitantly, she shouted back.   
“...E-Excuse me?”  
A deep, gruff voice came from the stranger in the gas mask. “Are you the Witch?”  
She took a step backward, “H-How did you know that?”  
The stranger said nothing further to her, maintaining his stare as he grabbed something from his lap. It was a walkie-talkie that he lifted closely to his mask while one of the back windows began to roll down. She adjusted her glasses and squinted, gasping when she noticed the second stranger in a gas mask pointing a crossbow at her from inside the vehicle. The man in the passenger seat spoke into the radio in his hand.  
“Target acquired.”  
As if on cue, the crossbow sent a sharp arrow flying in her direction. She shrieked and ducked to the pavement on the sidewalk while the glass bus shelter shattered from the impact of the arrow. The glittering shards rained over her body, slicing and impaling into the exposed skin on her arms and legs. As the second stranger in the van loaded a second arrow, she dashed out back into the sidewalk only to be stopped by a third man in a gas mask, who stepped out from behind a wall and towered over her clad in a black militaristic uniform. She was going to back away, but the men in the van began to exit the vehicle. So, terrified, she instead rushed out into the road, whimpering and shouting aimlessly in distress.   
She now had four pursuers to her knowledge-- Klaus and three masked strangers with crossbows and bulky equipment strapped around their belts. She felt like a little critter, scared and vulnerable, being hunted by savage predators whose ultimate goal was to bring her to her very end with the help of their arrows, which they shot at her-- catching her by surprise and causing her ankle to fold beneath her. As she tumbled to the ground and yelped in pain, her glasses fell from her face, crunching beneath her knee. She fumbled for them for only a second, but pushed off the ground and left them behind when she heard the boots from the men behind her splashing in a nearby puddle as they got closer.   
She had no decent or logical explanation for who those uniformed men who were chasing her might have been. Though, one thought certainly came to mind.   
Witch Hunters.   
She could think of no other reason for it. Even though it was an illogical, whimsical idea that Klaus planted in her head to keep her imprisoned and isolated inside that hotel room. Even if she knew that her old school textbooks would tell her that Witch Hunters only existed in the dark ages, that’s what she called them in her head.  
She was faster than the Witch Hunters. It seemed that all of the bulky equipment on their bodies slowed them down significantly. She was actually able to lose them briefly after cutting through an alleyway to the road parallel to the one that they chased her on-- so she knew she had to be quick to make her escape-- she just didn’t know how she was going to pull it off. She collected herself, stopped her whimpering, and gulped her fear. She had to be calm if she was going to survive. So, she slowed her pace after gaining some distance from the Witch Hunters, allowing her thumping heart to rest a bit as she crept upon an empty intersection.   
And there it was. Her saving grace.   
On the other side of the intersection on the corner of the street, Winona was able to make out the blurry image of a telephone booth. Oh, how her heart rejoiced and fluttered at the sight of it-- it seemed that the crumpled business card in her hand would finally be of use to her. However, the emptiness and quiet of the intersection made her pause. Certainly, she couldn’t be heard if she made a run for the booth-- but she was afraid of being so visible in the wide-open space of the crossroad. She kept trying to force herself to make a run for it, but the anxiety of being a clear shot out in the open like that made her hesitate. Her shoe hovered off of the curb, and she didn’t dare budge until she heard a crashing noise from the alleyway behind her. She began to breathe heavily, her breath visible in the cold of the night.  
That’s when the idea occurred to her. She huffed again, letting the ghostly vapor escape her mouth and nose and disappear into the air. She closed her eyes to concentrate, focusing her intention into every steady exhale. Wet footsteps were now approaching, but she couldn’t afford to lose her focus. The vapor that escaped her mouth began to thicken so significantly that she could taste the moisture. Yes. Perfect, her plan was working.  
She was enchanting every breath that she forced out of her lungs, breathing a heavy fog into the air like a dragon. It felt like she was blowing mist into the city-- but when she opened her eyes she was amazed to see that it was more like she was breathing clouds. The entire road was now hidden away behind the fog that she created. She smiled proudly and wiped the wet rain and tears off of her face. While clutching her bag close, she scurried over to the telephone booth, comfortable under the veil of haze that she had created with her magic.   
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

Espio was having the strangest dream. It was a lovely dream-- but a strange dream nonetheless.  
Surrounded by bubbles, pearlescent in color, and fragrant like perfume. He sat in the middle of it atop a white, smooth crystal rock. Dipping his feet into the warm, bath-like pond. Fluffy white and pink peonies surrounded its perimeter and the pink petals of cherry blossoms decorated the air like confetti. It was the definition of serenity. The epitome of tranquility. He’d never had such a vivid dream before. He was always such a light sleeper that he hardly even dreamt at all. He didn’t mind it, of course. It was the perfect way to unwind before the hard day of work ahead of him.  
There was one little detail about this fantasy of his that was beginning to trouble him, however. It was faint, but every once in a while he could hear the squeak of a voice in the distance, however, it was inaudible and weak. After a moment of silence, he’d return to his fantasy, wading his feet in the sudsy water below. This happened a few times until the squeak turned into more of a whisper, then, a whimper. Then, after some time, it turned into a cry. He blinked off into the incomplete distance of the little palace he’d created in his mind, trying to figure out where the cry was coming from.   
“Hello?” He called out gently.  
The cry responded almost instantaneously. So, he repeated his call out into nothingness.   
“Hello? Is somebody there?”  
The cry evolved into a word, “Help.”  
It wasn’t desperate. In fact, the pleading sounded puny and feeble. It reminded him of the voice of a scared little kid. He stood on his crystal and peered out into the foggy world around him.  
“Hello? Are you hurt? Where are you?”  
The cry persisted around him, fluctuating in volume until it became something else. It was no longer a voice, but a sound. A persistent sound that was beginning to annoy him more than concern him. It didn’t sound like a person anymore, in fact it kind of sounded… digital. That’s when he realized that the noise from the phone downstairs was beginning to cut into his fantasy.   
He rolled over in his blankets, groaning in agitation and holding a pillow over his ears. The phone was blaring in its spot beside the front door in the bar-- and there was no way that Espio was getting up at four in the morning to answer it. So, he laid there on his side, allowing the phone to ring for a minute longer until it finally stopped. Relieved, he let out a tired sigh and let himself begin to drift off again until--  
RING, RING!  
He groaned louder and tossed himself in the other direction, holding the pillow even harder to his ears, allowing the second call to go voicemail. Whoever was on the other line was persistent, but that was going to be Vector’s problem in the morning, not his. He sat awake for a few minutes after the last ring before he allowed himself to fall back asleep. But, of course, as soon as he’d drifted back into that fantasy of his, the phone rang. Again.  
Angrily, he jumped from his bed on the floor and flung his bedroom door open. He struggled to keep his heavy eyelids open as he marched down the stairs, through the kitchen, and slammed the bar door open. He grabbed the phone with a grip so tight that his knuckles turned white.  
He spoke quickly through clenched teeth, “Chaotix residence. I sincerely hope you have a perfect excuse to be calling at such an ungodly hour.”  
“Espio?”  
He recognized Winona’s voice as soon as she spoke his name, and he would have been pleased that she had called if the way she said his name didn’t sound so distressed. His anger immediately subsided and was replaced by concern.   
“Winona? Why are you calling so late?”  
“I-I really, really need help.” Her voice cracked and exposed her fragile state. Suddenly, the Ninja felt a great sense of urgency.   
“What’s wrong? Did Klaus attack you?” He glanced over to the kitchen where he saw Vector sleepily descend the stairs, rubbing his eyes and yawning. The Crocodile entered the bar and raised his arms up at the Ninja in confusion as if asking for an explanation nonverbally. Espio could hear Winona stifle a cry on the other end of the line.  
“Yes, but, please-- I-- I’m being chased by someone else now too--”  
Espio replied in a dark tone. “Where are you?”  
“The city. I escaped Klaus, I think--” She sniffled, “But these guys came out of nowhere and--- and there’s glass all over and--” The panic in her voice intensified the longer that she rambled, and Espio, in an effort to make sense of what she was telling him, cut her off.  
“Calm down, Winona.” Vector raised a brow as if interested and listened to Espio, who continued to assure her with a tone that was both severe and delicate at the same time, “You’re going to be fine. We’re going to come and find you, but you’ll have to tell us where you are. Do you know what street you’re on?”   
“No, I don’t. The fog is too thick and I’ve lost my glasses so I can’t read the sign. But, I’m at a phone booth at an intersection-- I think.... I think there’s a pharmacy? I-- I’m not really sure. Oh god,” She whimpered, then began to whisper into the phone, “Oh god, I heard a noise.”  
Espio looked outside, thoroughly confused by what she’d just told him. There was no fog. Or, at least, there was no fog visible from their side of the city facing the coast-- what on earth was she talking about? He’d grown silent in his confusion, prompting Winona to panic even more.  
“E-Espio? Are you still there?”  
He cleared his throat, “Y-Yes, sorry. One more thing, Winona.” Espio glanced at Vector, whispering at him to go start the car and waving the Crocodile away in the direction of the keys in the kitchen, “What do these men look like, the one’s chasing you?”  
“I can’t see their faces. They’re wearing masks and they’ve got all this stuff-- And, they’re armed, they shot at me with crossbows and--”  
Espio felt like a ton of bricks had just fallen atop his chest. He felt ashamed, just how careless and irresponsible could he be? He was only just assigned this mission a few days ago, and his subject was already in life-threatening danger. His Master was not going to be happy to hear about this.   
“Did they hurt you?!” He asked.  
“N-No, but they’ve gotten close and--”  
Out of nowhere, the call dropped and Winona’s sentence was cut off.  
“Winona?” He attempted to call the number back, but he was met with nothing but a dial-tone. “Shit!” He hurried outside into the rain where Vector was waiting beside the car with a lit cigarette halfway hanging from his mouth. “Get in the car and drive!” Espio commanded, “Now!” The crocodile responded, flailing his hands around.  
“Okay, okay, alright!” Vector let the cigarette fall from his mouth and onto the wet pavement, then climbed into the driver's seat and shifted into reverse before Espio was even buckled in, “Can you tell me what in the hell’s goin’ on here? What’s wrong?”  
Espio quickly buckled himself, speaking rapidly to his partner, “Winona’s in danger. Klaus attacked her and now she’s being chased--”  
“--Chased by Klaus?” Vector asked anxiously.  
“No, somebody else.” Espio reached into the back seat of the car where he kept a toolbox full of his own equipment for emergencies. He held the box in his lap and entered a four-digit combination into the lock that kept it firmly shut-- a safety precaution he had to make after Charmy ransacked his bedroom when he was nine. The Ninja continued speaking as he opened the box, “They’re armed, you might want this.” He handed his partner a small pistol, which looked rather ridiculous in the Crocodile’s giant hands. Vector looked at Espio like he was stupid.  
“You think I need this thing?”  
Espio rolled his eyes, “Yes, and you better hope that you won’t need it. They have long-distance weapons and they’ll be sure not to let us near them. Now, go. Hurry.”  
Vector pulled out into the city, driving slowly so that Espio could scan the sidewalks as they passed-- there was still no visible fog like Winona had described, so Espio urged Vector to lay on the gas and go just a little faster. They were about four blocks into the city when they finally saw it. It was a little hard to miss, actually. As soon as they turned a corner, their windshield was met with a barricade of cloudy mist that not even their headlights could penetrate. The detectives looked at each other with matching boggled expressions.   
“What is goin’ on here?” Asked Vector in quiet wonder as he pulled over to the curb and turned the car off.   
Espio had the chills. The fog reminded him of his dream-- where, just beyond his pond of bubbles and wall of peonies, the world was nothing more than a vague white mistiness. And from that mist, a voice called to him, pleading for help. He couldn’t ignore how prophetic it felt to now be sitting in the warmth of their little grey car, surrounded by a cloudy fog and knowing that Winona was out there somewhere desperate for their aid. It was no coincidence, he was certain of it.   
The deja-vu overwhelmed him, rendering him speechless. Vector stared at him from the driver’s seat and waved his hand in front of his face.  
“Earth to Chameleon! Helloooo?!”  
Espio returned to reality with a jolt, blinking at his partner in surprise, then promptly looking away with slight embarrassment, “L-Let’s just go.” The Ninja ignored Vector’s bewilderment and stepped out of their vehicle, stocking kunai and shuriken into the tactical harness that he strapped on his chest. Vector appeared at his side, maintaining a concerned gaze on Espio, who continued to ignore him.  
“This fog is thick, we’d better stick close or we might lose each other.” The Ninja said as they both paced the sidewalk and readied their weapons. Besides the sound of the rain crashing onto the ground, the city was otherwise quiet. The silence coupled with the fog created an eerie atmosphere that one would expect in a horror movie or a sci-fi film-- and it made the detectives all the more cautious. As they passed the alleyways, they would strategically scale around the corners of the buildings, then scope out every nook and cranny so that they couldn’t be taken off-guard. They repeated this strategy until they were four blocks in the heart of the city-- and still, they hadn’t found Winona. Espio’s concern was beginning to swell in his chest, and he didn’t feel any bit better when they found the shattered bus shelter.   
“Jesus. What coulda’ happened here?” Vector wondered aloud as Espio crouched to examine the broken glass on the ground. He grabbed a sizable shard off of the sidewalk and lifted it to his eyes. As he took a closer look, he found remnants of blood on its sharp edges. He felt his fingers and face begin to tingle-- somehow, he knew that the blood belonged to Winona.   
“Nothing good.” The Ninja replied in a dark tone as he stood and dropped the glass back onto the ground. “Let us continue. We’re wasting precious time.”  
The Crocodile nodded and followed Espio down the road, their pace quickened significantly. They searched high and low as much as they could, but the thick and unrelenting fog made it nearly impossible. He was growing impatient and perhaps even a little anxious, but he had no time to dwell on his emotions. So, he allowed his disciplined mind to push his feelings back into the back of his head. He had one thing to be focused on, and nothing else; the safety and wellbeing of Princess Winona Aetherborn.   
The detectives cleared the entire street and took their pursuit to the other side of the block. Once they had cleared not even half of the second street, Espio stopped himself after he heard a crunch beneath his shoe. He lifted his foot then crouched at the spot, grabbing the mangled remains of Winona’s oval glasses. As if it was a relic, the Chameleon could feel some sort of energy emanating from them. They made him feel something that he simply couldn’t explain. Fear in its most primal form. Terror like he’d never felt before. But it wasn’t his feelings that he was feeling-- no, he wasn’t the one who was afraid. It was like her glasses were enchanted-- coded with the emotions that she’d been feeling before she’d discarded them.   
“God damn it.” He muttered in a growl, looking down the street wondering just where the Princess might have been taken. The scope of the fog was huge, and they hadn’t even searched half of it yet. He crouched to the ground, supporting his body on his tiptoes as he closed his eyes to think. Vector loomed over his shoulder, frowning as he set his eyes on the ruined pair of glasses.  
“That’s not good.” The Crocodile whispered, shaking his head, “Who do you think these guys chasing her might be? What’s their motive?”  
Espio released a sharp exhale as he stood, “I haven’t any idea. She said they were masked--” The Ninja looked down at the golden framed glasses that glinted as he turned them over in his hands, “Assassins, perhaps? Mercenaries hired by her brother to kill her? There’s a number of possibilities.” He turned away from his partner and held the golden framed glasses tight between his fingers, “Regardless of the reason, we’re going to stamp them out.”  
“You mean... have them arrested, right?” Vector asked nervously as he observed Espio’s vicious tenacity. “You’re kinda makin’ it sound like you’re going to kill them.”  
“...Certainly, if it’s necessary.” Espio whispered.  
“What? Speak up, Es. You know, you’ve been acting really weird about this--”  
Espio silenced his partner by shooting him an intense warning look and spoke quickly as if annoyed, “I’ll answer whatever questions you have later, but for the time being I don’t have time to address your concern, Vector.” He then stood, squinting and peering into the white misty void. Vector seemed a little offended and unsatisfied with Espio’s answer. He had opened his mouth to reiterate his suspicion, but he stopped speaking as soon as a shattering sound could be heard nearby. The two detectives looked at each other with their mouths agape and slowed their pace.  
Then, there was a scream.  
Winona.  
Espio didn’t even think, the heels of his feet just pushed off the ground and he disappeared, sprinting right into the fog. Vector called after him, but the Ninja ignored his fellow detective’s pleas to slow down so that he could catch up. The rain felt like needles on his face as he rushed against the flow of the wind in the direction that the scream originated from. Espio felt the pressure of his Master’s expectations weighing on him, and he had no interest in letting her down. He wouldn’t accept failure-- Not when he had the opportunity to prove himself as the mighty Shinobi that knew he was. It was a fantasy that motivated him to push his body past its limits. Winona’s vitality was his goal, and it was a goal he was going to achieve no matter what it took.  
The men in the masks had to be eliminated.


	14. 14

Running into the construction zone was the first mistake she made. The uneven muddy dirt beyond the chain-link fence was cruel on her sprained ankle, which was now swollen as she limped between the heavy machinery and forklifts. The Witch Hunters were hot on her heels, and despite the heavy ache in her lungs, she could not afford to stop running. So, as she reached the other side of the chain-link fence, she had two options. She could either attempt to climb the fence to the newly constructed apartment building on the other side and flee back out into the city, or she could run into the dark, rust-colored warehouse to her left and hide.   
Winona knew that her chances of survival were higher on the other side of the fence. However, once she spotted the barbed wire that kept the construction zone secure from outsiders, the idea of getting caught in its mess of razor blades just to get shot down by a barrage of arrows gave her cold feet. She also had her injured ankle to consider-- and so, she came to the conclusion that this option simply wasn’t realistic given the circumstances.  
That’s what led Winona to her second mistake. As she darted from behind an empty white pickup, she was immediately spotted. When she passed under the open garage door of the warehouse, an arrow flew past her and grazed her cheek. Caught off guard, she gasped and spun around to face the Ringleader, who was now only a few feet away.   
He was the tallest of the three and by far the scariest. Though she couldn’t see his face, she could see his aura. Although it wasn’t nearly as frightening as the massive black mist that she’d seen hovering around Klaus just an hour ago, there was a lot that she learned from the thin red line of light that outlined his body. Red was the color of fury and fierceness. This to her meant that the man she was now facing was a dominant character, and she knew better than to underestimate him.   
His partners appeared from out of the fog, and she was now cornered by all three Witch Hunters, who had their weapons prepped and pointed directly at her. She continued to back away from them toward the wall of the warehouse until the heel of her shoe was caught on the edge of a brick on the ground, and she fell backward onto her rear. Winona let out a whimper as she inched toward the wall and put her hands up, hoping that they wouldn’t shoot.   
Klaus’s silhouette appeared behind the Witch Hunters for a brief, cruel moment. She reached out to him with big eyes that pleaded for his help, hoping that he would somehow find it in his heart to forgive her for what she did to him. He looked at her as if smug and scoffed, shaking his head. She felt something inside of her chest rupture like a bursting water pipe. Her silent plea to her former partner was no use-- whatever empathy that the Demon might have had before was now gone. He made a look of contentment before he disappeared, leaving her to face her fate at the hand of the Witch Hunters scared and alone.  
“Sir.” The masked man on the left stopped his leader with a firm grip on the shoulder, “Shouldn’t we proceed with caution? We don’t know what she might be capable of, what if there’s something crawling out there in the fog? Like, a familiar or-- or a demon?” This Witch Hunter seemed to be the only one amongst the three to express any reluctance when it came to confronting her. He was the weakest of the three-- she knew this because his aura wasn’t visible at all. He must have been young and inexperienced compared to his two comrades who stood with their crossbows aimed at her with zero hesitation.  
The Ringleader scoffed at his cowardly partner, “Look at her, dimwit. She’s practically pissin’ herself. If she was going to fight us, she would have done it already. Now, let’s do what we came here to do-- the boss wants her blood.” Winona whined in fear as the leader took another step toward her, “We can kill her and drain her of everything she’s got. All we have to do when we’re finished is doodle some stupid pentagrams on the ground-- we won’t even have to take care of the body. Stupid feds will just think it was another one of those cult murders.”  
She shook her head and sobbed. It was a confirmation that she never wanted to hear. She had been in denial the whole time-- but now that they had admitted that they were interested in harvesting her blood, she knew for certain that she was looking at three modern-day Witch Hunters. They weren’t affiliated with her brother, nor did they have any knowledge of the demonic possessions-- and somehow, that made them even more frightening.   
The leader approached her and kneeled beside her, lifting her chin to force her to look at him. She was so close to him that she could see his dark eyes behind the reflective goggles of his gas mask. He stroked the blood and tears off of her cheek and she shivered under the touch of his cold black leather gloves.  
“The last time I fought one of your kind fifteen years ago, she put up much more of a fight.” He said in a quiet gruff voice. Winona gulped, she had no idea that Witch Hunters even existed during her lifetime. This news made her think of all of the cautionary tales that her mother had told her about the Witches who had disappeared without a trace from the Kingdom when she was just a child. Winona wondered just how many Witches might have fallen victim to these Hunters before the fall of the Kingdom. But, also, it made her question how Klaus knew about said Witch Hunters-- she was a fool to have ignored his concerns, and now it seemed that she was going to pay for her ignorance. “I expected a whole lot more from the Aetherborn Princess…” The man continued as he caressed her stained cheek, “You’re a pretty one, it’s a shame that I’ll have to put you down.” He stood and loaded his crossbow, then pointed it directly between her eyes. She looked at him fearfully while he spoke tauntingly, “Any last words, little Witch?”  
Winona said nothing. She refused to answer the masked stranger. She bit her lip, squeezed her eyes shut, and began to pray. She could do nothing else. She was far too exhausted to make any more magic happen. Even though she knew that Angels had never before answered her prayers, it was the only thing she could do. With no other hope left, she sent out her desperate pleas into the universe, begging for an Angel to come and save her.   
Then, she waited. The seconds felt like hours and she was beginning to wish that he would just put her out of her pathetic misery.   
But, death didn’t come as suddenly as she thought it would. She expected to hear the click of the trigger-- but that didn’t happen. Instead, the Witch Hunters were alarmed by the sudden sound of shattering glass emitting from the fog outside of the warehouse. She blinked her eyes open to look at the Ringleader, who pointed at his cowardly partner.  
“Go check that out.” He ordered.  
The cowardly Witch Hunter hesitated as if he was going to argue with his leader, but then sighed and instead pointed his weapon out into the fog. He tip-toed out of the warehouse, allowing his body to be swallowed by the white void. The silent one of the three on the far right kept an anxious eye on the fog outside while their partner was absent-- but the Ringleader kept his eyes focused on Winona so that she could not move.   
“Hey, uh, guys? I’m hearing things out here.” Spoke the cowardly Witch Hunter from the fog.  
The Ringleader sighed and rolled his eyes, “Probably just an animal, secure the perimeter, and get back here.”  
“N-No, I’m hearing footsteps-- I-I really think there’s somebody else out here--” There was an audible squeak from the Hunter’s boots against the pavement, “Holy shit, there’s somebody out here!” The silent masked man pointed his bow out into the fog, and the Ringleader cleared his throat, speaking with a hint of anxiousness in his voice.  
“Go see what he’s freaking out about, please.”   
The silent one nodded and jogged out of the warehouse, leaving Winona and the Ringleader to sit in silence as they waited for his return. He kept the crossbow aimed at her-- however, it was now wobbling in his shaking hands. He was nervous now, she could tell. His red aura was disappearing now that he was beginning to lose confidence. A few minutes into his second partner’s absence, he began to call out to him in a language that she couldn’t understand.   
But there was no answer. Instead, his partner’s body was suddenly thrown back into the warehouse by a force unlike any other. His back hit the wall and slumped into the ground just a couple of feet away from Winona. She yelped in surprise and scooted away from the Witch Hunter, who groaned beside her and fumbled on the ground, reaching for the arrow that was now sticking out from his back. He must have been disarmed and shot with his own weapon. Winona felt a sliver of hope-- however, it was short-lived. The Ringleader twisted around toward her and lifted his crossbow as if he was going to swing it at her.  
“What the hell just happened?! Is this some sort of spell?!”  
She raised her fists defensively and shielded her face, “N-No I-- I didn’t--”  
“Liar!” He lifted the weapon even higher as if to warn her, prompting her to flinch, “Is this fog enchanted or something?! What’s out there?!”  
“I don’t know!” She screamed, “I didn’t do anything!”  
“Then what’s happening?! What happened to him?!”  
From her view on the ground, she could see something materialize behind the Ringleader. She squinted at it, trying to make out what it was through her blurry vision. Shoes? --No, there were legs attached to them. It was a person that just appeared out of thin air. She only knew one person who was capable of such a thing. Her prayers were answered, but not by an Angel.  
“We happened.” Said the Ninja. As soon as the Ringleader heard Espio’s voice, he jerked to turn and face him, but the Chameleon halted him, poking him in the back of the head with the crossbow that he’d gotten from the man on the ground. “Don’t move.”  
Her relief manifested into a wide grin, “Espio?!”  
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

Espio was grateful that they had arrived when they did. Winona was in a sorry state-- cuts and bruises lined her arms and legs, and there were even a few sizable pieces of glass protruding from her skin. She sat against the rusting sheet-metal wall of the warehouse, shivering and wheezing. She looked up at him with beaming, grateful wet eyes. As the stranger felt Espio pressing the tip of the loaded arrow in the crossbow against his skull, the man responded by dropping his weapon and putting his hands in the air.   
Vector appeared behind Espio, cocking the pistol in his hands and laughing boisterously, “Hey, did you see me launch that guy? He never saw it comin’!”  
Winona squinted past Espio, “Vector is that you?”  
“Winona--? Jeez!” Upon seeing the Princess’s weather-beaten and bloodied face, the Crocodile rushed over to her side. “What in the hell happened to you? Did he do that?” As Vector helped her to her feet, she looked at the masked man spitefully.  
“He’s a Witch Hunter,” She spat in a nasty tone as Vector assisted her to Espio’s side. The Ninja noted the way she limped and leaned her weight on his partner-- she must have hurt her ankle pretty badly to have to rely on Vector’s help just to walk. “He intended to drain me of my blood. The same way one would skin a snake for their skin. He’s rotten to the core.”   
“Your blood, huh…?” Espio narrowed his eyes at the man, “You, turn around and face me.” He demanded.   
Winona was certainly right about the man’s evil nature. Espio had dealt with this type before. Just from looking at him, the Ninja could tell that the stranger had military experience. He was disciplined and headstrong like a proper soldier, and thus refused to answer the Chameleon’s command. He stood relaxed as if he was hardly concerned at all about what they might do to him-- though, there was a subtle shake to his palms as if Espio’s dramatic entrance had made him uneasy. Good. It satisfied the Chameleon to see that man tremble.   
Something about seeing Winona's dainty figure so beat up like that made him feel disgusted. What they had done to her was disgraceful-- the way she had described their motive to kill her made them sound bigoted, and something about the hurt in her eyes made the Ninja feel enraged. It was much deeper than just his responsibility to keep her alive, and he didn't quite understand it. All he knew was that he was angry and didn't appreciate the man's smug and careless attitude. So, to show the Witch Hunter just how serious he was, he swiftly kicked his feet from under him, causing his legs to buckle. He grunted as he landed on his knees and struggled as Espio grabbed his mask from behind and pulled it right off of his head.   
The dark-furred Jackal refused to face them. Instead, he kept his head down and stared straight ahead, resting his raised, shaking hands on his head. Even though he wouldn’t face them, Espio could see a giant burn scar that obscured the growth of fur on one half of his head and face.  
“Who are you, then?” Asked the Jackal, glaring at Espio cautiously, “Police? Are you with the feds?”  
“No, but they’re on their way.” Vector answered, “You and your buddies are going to have a helluva time in prison.”   
The Jackal chuckled and answered the Crocodile sarcastically, “I can’t wait.”  
“Vector, go ahead and take Winona back to the car. I’ll make sure they all get booked.” Said Espio as he extended an open palm to his partner, who set the pistol in his hand so that he could get rid of the crossbow. The Chameleon now stood tall, holding the cold barrel of the gun to the back of the Witch Hunter’s head.  
“Sure thing,” Vector replied.  
“Are you sure it’s okay if we leave you here all by yourself?” Winona asked Espio, her eyes glinting at him with innocent concern as she clutched onto the Crocodile’s extended arm.  
“Respectfully, Princess, you’re in no position to be worried about me. Go on ahead, I’ll meet with you both when I’m finished.” He smirked, “This clown can’t take me down, anyway.”   
Vector rolled his eyes and cringed at the Chameleon’s words, which was a reaction that he typically received whenever he spoke with such confidence. However, instead of making a snide comment about his ego, Winona responded in a way that he simply wasn’t used to. She beamed at him with an appreciative smile and nodded at him, waving as Vector led her away into the fog.  
“Aw, that was cute.”  
Espio ignored the Jackal’s cheeky comment and kicked the Witch Hunter to the ground as soon as Vector and Winona were out of sight. He then crouched beside him and narrowed his eyes, speaking menacingly, “Who. Hired. You?”  
“Wouldn’t you like to know?”  
Espio regretted allowing Vector to call the police as soon as they found the first Witch Hunter out in the fog. He would have liked to have a few hours to properly interrogate the man so that he had the information he needed to keep Winona safe from whoever else was after her-- but the approaching police sirens and flashing blue and red lights cut him short. He loosened his grip on the Witch Hunter’s collar, allowing him to flop onto the concrete floor.   
“Hmph. Doesn’t matter.” Said Espio, “I’ll find out eventually.”  
“I’m sure you will, buddy. Say, who are you, anyway?”  
The Chameleon didn’t answer. Instead, he propped himself up against the wall of the warehouse, casually aiming the gun at the Jackal as he patiently waited for the police to find them there. The Jackal didn’t seem to appreciate the Ninja’s silence, however, and continued to speak tauntingly.  
“Well, prison won't keep me for long. Whether I get to that girl today, tomorrow, or a month from now is irrelevant. I will be the one to get to her. You see, I’m determined to reap my reward. It wasn’t just money I was promised. No, I was guaranteed a lot better than that.”  
Espio bit his lip and shook his head, restraining the urge to strangle the Witch Hunter as the policemen approached, “Well then, let me offer you a formal warning.” He pocketed the pistol in his hand as the police drew their weapons. The Chameleon momentarily crouched and whispered so that only the Jackal could hear him, “Princess Winona Aetherborn is under the protection of the Shinobi Clan. Let me be the first to tell you: you do not want to challenge us. If you threaten that girl one more time, I am obligated to wipe you out and I promise I will do so mercilessly. Do I make myself clear?”  
The policemen cuffed the Jackal, who didn’t resist and simply allowed them to pull him to his feet. He looked at Espio with eyes full of vindictiveness, speaking in a challenging tone and winking at him, “Crystal clear. See you soon.”  
As the police lugged him away and cuffed his collapsed, unconscious partner, Espio stepped out into the thinning fog. The rain had ceased, and the clouds above him began to part away from each other, allowing the moon to shine alongside the shimmering stars in the sky. He looked up at them, his thoughts occupied by a growing list of people that he’d soon have to eliminate. Varrick, Klaus-- and now a troupe of Witch Hunters. Though, he wasn’t sure if he should take the Jackal’s threat to bust out of prison seriously or not. He was just going to have to keep a watchful eye on the Jackal and his two comrades.   
Or, he could just kill them in their cells while they slept. Crossing the Jackal off of his list early would certainly put his mind at ease-- however, he couldn’t justify leaving Winona’s side now that he knew exactly where she was. He intended to keep it that way. Perhaps now that Klaus wasn’t holding her back, she’d agree to join the Chaotix. That would be the ideal scenario. That way, he’d be killing two birds with one stone. They could make use of Winona’s powers, solve the “cult” killings, and help her take care of her brother all at the same time. But that still left Klaus. He was a problem, that one. A problem that Espio just couldn’t solve at the moment.   
‘One thing at a time,’ he told himself as he approached Vector’s little grey car, which was idling at the curb where they’d left it. His partner stood outside, leaning on the driver’s side door while puffing on a cigarette. As he got closer, he could see Winona’s head resting on the glass window from inside the back seat. Her eyes were closed, but it didn’t seem like she was actually asleep.   
Vector greeted him with a wave, “Hey, so we’ve got a problem.”  
Espio sighed, “What now?”  
Vector began to rant, “Well, I got most of her all bandaged up, yeah? But then we got around to this one big piece of glass lodged in her thigh. I told her that we’re probably going to have to swing by a hospital to get it removed and stitched up, but then she just started freaking out.”  
The Chameleon looked over to Winona, whose eyes darted away as soon as he caught her looking at him. “Vector, speak quieter. I think she heard you.” He scolded his partner, watching Winona as she looked down at her lap with a blank stare. Her melancholy was infectious-- she was no doubt in a lot of pain and incredibly exhausted. The trauma in her eyes reminded himself of a time where he wore a similar expression on his face. What she needed right this minute wasn’t a doctor, but someone who would hear her. Someone who could listen. He sighed and nodded, circling the car to the passenger side door.   
“Let me try.”


	15. Chapter 15

He gave her an ultimatum. Either they could bring her to the hospital to have her stitched up-- or, she could come home with them and Espio could treat her himself. Her safety and well-being was his responsibility, after all, and leaving her wound untreated was simply not an option. It seemed that she realized that as well and reluctantly agreed to allow Espio to administer first aid once they had returned to the Agency. After an awkwardly silent car ride, Vector returned to bed, leaving Espio to take care of Winona.   
She watched him quietly from her spot on a bar stool as he fetched his tools, wetting a rag with cold water and preparing fresh bandages. He returned to her side with tweezers and a needle with thread, kneeling in front of her and inspecting her thigh carefully. The shard of glass was embedded deep into her flesh, and from the way her eyes watered, he could tell that it was exceptionally painful. He was actually reluctant to touch her or her wound for fear that he might make it worse, but he had no other choice. He looked up to her and spoke gently.  
“You know, a proper doctor could numb the pain. You wouldn’t even feel a pinch. It’s not too late to change your mind.”  
She shook her head and looked out the window, “No, I’ve made up my mind. I’ll tolerate the pain so long as I don’t have to step foot in a hospital.”   
The Princess refused to meet his eyes, so he looked back down to the shard above her knee, “Very well, then. I’ll have to remove the glass first. It’ll probably be the most painful part.” He hovered his hand above her thigh and hesitated again. For some reason, the idea of placing his hands on her body at all was a daunting task. It was as if his brain simply wouldn’t let him-- as if he was convinced that she herself was made of glass and that she might shatter beneath his touch. He cleared his throat nervously, “Are you ready?”  
She nodded and squeezed her eyes shut. Now that he had her explicit permission, he gently raised her leg with a firm yet careful grip on the back of her thigh. Then, he took the tweezers with his right hand and pinched the tip of the glass, pulling slowly and gently. When it began to dislodge, she recoiled and made a squeak. Blood bubbled to the surface of her skin as he pulled the glass out of her leg, and he was quick to cover the wound with the wet rag as soon as it was completely removed. She gasped as if relieved and smiled at him sheepishly with tears streaming down her cheeks.  
“I-I’m sorry, I suppose I’m rather cowardly, aren’t I? I don’t suppose you cry like a child when you’re hurt.”  
He recognized her self-deprecating words as an attempt to lighten the mood, so he laughed and shook his head as he held the rag to her leg, “No, perhaps I don’t. But, you have nothing to be ashamed of. In fact, I’d argue you handled it quite well. I’ve seen grown men run at the sight of an influenza vaccine.”  
She laughed and sniffed “They weren’t Ninjas, were they?”   
“They were.” He scoffed and sighed, “We’re mighty, but we aren’t without fear.” He lifted the rag once the bleeding had dwindled then grabbed the needle and thread. He looked up to her before he began stitching, waiting until she nodded to begin. She flinched as he poked into her skin, but continued talking as if she hoped to distract herself from the pain.   
“My mother always said that only fools are fearless.” She gripped the sides of the bar stool as he pulled the needle through her flesh, “Fear is a survival instinct that keeps us alive.”  
“What a coincidence,” As he spoke, he pulled the thread slowly with a disciplined and steady hand in an effort to make the experience less painful for her, continuing only after he made the first stitch, “My own mother would say something similar, though she would add that living in fear is just as foolish. One who overcomes fear can overcome anything. Speaking of fear…” He glanced up at her, “I was wondering if you wouldn’t mind telling me why you hate hospitals so much. Vector told me that you were upset when he suggested we take you there.”   
Her pleasant smile faded and she looked away, biting her lip and hesitating to speak. It seemed as though she was internally debating with herself whether or not to answer his question. But, with some time, she allowed herself to open up to him.   
“They’re just… loud.” She forced a positive tone of voice that sounded disingenuine, “So many Souls are stuck there after death. They’re all desperate to be heard, and I’m the only one who can listen. But, in large quantities like that, their energy can be damaging to someone like me with such little experience. It’s overwhelming. There’s just no way that I can help them all, so I also run the risk of upsetting them. And, let me tell you, you do not want vengeful Spirits following you home. Their negativity can attract dangerous entities. I know from a very unfortunate experience that I’d rather not talk about.”  
Espio paused what he was doing and looked up to her with his interest piqued, “You just… see them wherever you go?”  
“Of course I do. I always have.”  
Perhaps the first time in a long while, Espio felt inferior. He’d been raised to believe that the ultimate goal in life was to achieve enlightenment that could only be obtained in the senior years of his life. It was something that he was taught was only obtainable with hard work and determination-- and yet, Winona was simply born into that enlightenment. She was a prodigy from the get-go, and Espio would feel envious if it weren’t for the fact that she had made it sound like such a burden. He may never understand what it’s like to commune with Spirits on a daily basis, and that alone made Winona an expert in his eyes; despite her claim that she lacked experience.   
She was worth protecting. He now understood his Master’s determination to keep her safe from a different perspective. She was practically an entity herself. A force of nature and the last of her kind. He was never so quick to give praise, but Winona was an exception. She might have been weak physically, but he continued to be amazed by her potential.  
After a moment, he realized that he was staring. He cleared his throat to speak, “I understand.” He said, “I didn’t think about how exhausting that might be.”  
“That’s okay.” She replied as he finished up another stitch. She must have decided that the conversation had gotten too awkward because she swiftly changed the subject. “You know, you’re a lot gentler than you look. You’re quite good at this, did you learn from your Clan?”  
He raised a brow. Gentler than he looked, huh?  
“Uh, I did, actually.”  
“I think that’s lovely. You’re awfully talented in more ways than one. You know, at first, I was quite intimidated by you.”  
He scoffed, “Intimidated by me? Why?”  
“W-Well-- you’re just hard to read, that’s all. I can usually tell how most people feel just by looking at their aura, but yours--” She inched close to him, scanning his purple skin with her eyes, “I’ve never quite seen an aura like yours. It’s so… elusive and subtle.” She said this in almost a whisper as she leaned toward him with a look of admiration and curiosity. He didn’t understand what she was doing, and he only let her do it for a moment until she had raised her hand and moved it toward his shoulder. He grabbed her hand before she had the opportunity to touch him.  
“Don’t do that.” He said sternly, reverting his focus back onto her wound and letting go of her hand, “Maybe there’s a reason that my aura is elusive. Have you thought that I might not want it to be seen?”  
She looked hurt by his words, and although he recognized that her curiosity was innocent, he still felt as though a boundary had been crossed. As much as he disliked being so harsh with his words, Espio just wasn’t comfortable enough to allow her to touch him. He didn’t know what she could learn about him just from his aura alone-- what if she could read his thoughts? What if she could see into his Soul? There was too much that he didn’t know, and there was only so much of himself that he was willing to expose. Even though he knew it was in his best interest to make her as comfortable around him as possible, there was just too much of himself that he was not willing to share with her.   
“I-I’m sorry, I promise I wasn’t doing anything nefarious--”  
“It’s fine,” he said dismissively.  
As they lapsed into a period of awkward silence, he continued to stitch up her leg, pushing the needle in and out of her skin while she looked out of the window with a pout. The wounded expression on her face was highlighted by the moonlight that poured in from outside. He knew that she hadn’t meant to offend him-- and he was beginning to regret using such a severe tone to silence her. He was going to suck in his pride and apologize for being so firm, but then he noticed something strange on her face.   
“What is that?”  
She furrowed her brows, “What?”  
He pointed to the black splatter on her left cheek, “That.” This prompted her to gently drag her index finger across her cheekbone, wiping the black specs of mystery liquid onto her gloves and inspecting it carefully with squinted eyes. Then, when she realized what it was, her eyes widened and her hands began to shake. Espio stopped stitching, alarmed as she shifted into a sudden panic.  
“Oh my god.”  
“What?”  
“I stabbed Klaus.”  
His jaw unhinged and his lips parted. He wasn’t sure that he heard her right, so he repeated her words back to her slowly, “You stabbed Klaus, Princess?”   
She nodded, her lip quivering. “I could tell that he ate someone. He lunged at me, and I thought he might kill me, so…” She looked down and allowed her tears to fall into her lap, “I stabbed him in the throat. I’ve sealed my fate. He is going to kill me. He’ll kill you too when he finds me here. I can’t stay much longer.”   
He examined her tiny, shaking physique, blanketing the shock in his face with a calm expression as to not alarm her any further. He almost didn’t believe her-- after all, the Demon that he and Vector had encountered in the Castle in the Aether had them both frozen in their places, nearly too afraid to move. Yet, Winona had somehow gathered the strength to stab one? Sure, Klaus was a different breed, but still. Did her power also shield her from their debilitating auras?  
Nevermind that, he shook away the pointless thoughts. He had to make sure that Winona stayed with them at least for the night, “Nonsense.” He said, continuing to treat her as if her words hadn’t phased him, “You’re staying here with us. I cannot let you go out there if that means that you’ll be putting yourself in danger. He won’t find you here, anyway.”  
She sighed, “You don’t seem to understand. He already knows I’m here. He’s my Soul Link. He knows everything.”  
He narrowed his eyes, “What do you mean, he knows everything? What is a Soul Link?”  
“It means that our Souls are linked.” She said this as if he should already know what that meant, “I guess, for lack of a better term… It's a union between Souls. A contract. All Witches have a Soul Link, they’re usually born with a Soul assigned to them, living or dead-- it was a system designed to keep us safe. My sister was my Soul Link before she was killed, and I was hers.” She sniffled, “When I was eleven, I allowed Klaus to become my Soul Link. Ever since, he knows exactly how I’m feeling at any given moment. If he wanted, he could teleport to my exact location. It may have been the biggest mistake I’ve ever made. I’m putting you in danger by being here right now.” She began to weasel out of the barstool, and Espio dropped the needle from his hand quickly so that he could grab her by the shoulders and keep her still.  
“Winona, stop moving-- you’re going to hurt yourself.” He gently pushed her back onto the seat, then spoke to her in a strict voice as he looked into her eyes “Listen to me, we can help you. We want to help you. We have a similar goal, don’t we? If you go out there and you’re killed, who else is supposed to help us put an end to these murders? We can’t stop them without your help-- so please, let us be good friends to you. We can figure this out together. I believe if Klaus truly wanted you dead, he would have teleported here and killed you already.”   
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...  
Espio had confused her. He had the reserved attitude of a proper gentleman-- he was tender and considerate. He didn’t have to offer to treat her himself, and he certainly didn’t have to go as far as to make idle conversation with her either. However, just as she’d grown comfortable enough to share more about herself, he retreated away into a shell as if he were threatened by her. For a moment, Winona was certain that he hated her, and that he was only helping her to repay her for what she did for Charmy.   
That was until he said the magic words, of course.  
Let us be good friends to you.  
Friends? Were they friends? She didn’t think that they knew each other long enough to consider themselves ‘friends’. But of course, what would she know? It’s not like she’d ever had mortal friends before. The word excited her like a child. It made her giddy, and she had to hold back a delighted smirk. Though, she couldn’t help but wonder why he was putting so much effort into convincing her to stay.   
She wiped the tears from her face, “...You’re right. I’m sorry. I just--”  
“You had a rough night. Don’t apologize.” He smiled and grabbed the needle that was dangling from the thread in her skin. Espio was now more than halfway done treating her wound, and with every careful stitch, he grew closer and closer to closing the laceration on her leg. “That room upstairs, consider it yours. I can’t force you to stay with us, but I can insist. But, I will give you a warning. Vector smells rotten almost constantly and he has the manners of a caveman.” He laughed as he spoke of his teammates, “Charmy is hyperactive and annoying, and he loves to push your buttons just for fun. There’s almost never any food in this house-- oh, and it’s hardy ever clean either. It’s chaos here, but we live in it. You’re welcome to live in it, too.”  
She smiled appreciatively, “Chaos is sort of in the name, isn’t it?”  
“Heh, I guess it is.”  
She looked away nervously, “If I stay here… and something happens--”  
“Nothing will happen.” He said, flashing his serious eyes up at her, “We take care of each other here in the Chaotix. If you stay here and work with us, we’ll take care of you too.”  
She felt a flutter in her stomach as her body began to emit heat. A lump in her throat made her want to swallow, but her mouth was too dry. Winona had to avert her eyes from his in order to respond, “I-I suppose I don’t really have any other options. Do you promise that if I stay, you won’t find me a bother?”  
“Did you hear anything that I just said about Vector and Charmy? You’re a Princess who speaks far too modestly for her own good.” He replied in amusement as he finished the last stitch, “No, I won’t find you a bother at all. It’s a little hard to top the nonsense that goes on under this roof. In fact, I’ll be impressed if you do.”  
She held back a giggle, “Fair enough, Chameleon.” Winona then lifted her leg in order to allow Espio to wrap a soft, white cotton bandage tightly around her stitched laceration. His careful hands then gathered his tools and set them on the bar. Then, he reached down and grabbed her bag before extending his hand out for her to take. She blinked at him, confused.  
“I’ll help you up to your room now,” He said, “Aren’t you tired? It’s nearly morning now.”  
“O-Oh, yes. Thank you.”  
He allowed her to lean her weight onto him. Now that her leg was stitched and swollen, it made it even harder to walk-- and she winced as she slid from the barstool onto the ground, practically hopping as he led her from the bar into the kitchen. The stairs was another struggle entirely. She wanted to be quiet since she could hear Vector snoring from beyond his open bedroom door, but she couldn’t put any weight on her damaged leg. Espio took initiative, lifting her every other step while she had her arm around his shoulder until they were up the stairs. The Ninja then dropped her bag into her room and turned his back to her.  
“Goodnight.” He said.  
She leaned on the door and watched him as he made his way down the hall to his own bedroom. Before he could open the door, she called out to him in a whisper, “Espio?”  
He glanced back at her, his golden eyes piercing at her through the darkness of the hallway, “Hm?”  
“Thank you. I appreciate you more than you know.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, apologies for the shorter chapter. I experienced sort of a block while I was writing it. Also, I 'd like to add that I've made a twitter dedicated to sonic related things where I may also post updates for this fic. If you're interested or just want to have a chat, you can find me @BooBerrryBlast. I also make art and talk about random headcanons. Oh! I also have a drawing of Winona that I have pinned, so check that out if you want a better idea of what she looks like!!


	16. 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, apologies for the later upload. I would have had this all typed up on time, but a family friend passed away and I was just laid off from my job, so I wasn't in the best headspace. I hope you enjoy reading, thank you for being here.

Once again, Espio found himself dreaming of that lovely place. There was nowhere he'd rather be- he was safe in his warm spring of bubbles. Perched atop the crystalline rock in the middle of the sudsy water, he meditated for what seemed like hours- Comforted by the sound of the trickling water and the sweet scent of- what was it? Coconut?

He opened his eyes and inhaled through his nose, trying to get a good whiff of the fragrance that lingered in the steamy air around him. It was coconut, he was sure of it. However, there weren't any coconuts in sight- just the pink and blue bubbles and peonies that decorated the surrounding grass. Confused, he leaned his head close to the surface of the water and sniffed it. No, while the bubbles around him were fragrant, they weren't coconut scented.

How odd.

He stared at his reflection for a moment, lapsing into a trance-like state and allowing his eyes to unfocus as his mind began to wonder. Though he was quite happy within his fantasy, his thoughts grew quite melancholy. He smiled sadly at the rippling water as an unprompted bitter-sweet memory played out in the back of his mind.

"Botan, Master won't be pleased when she finds that you've been meddling in the training grounds after sundown."

"You're so good at nagging, Espio- almost as good as your mother!"

"She's your Master too, Botan. It wouldn't kill you to respect her title."

"Feh, formalities are for work, and I'm clocked out right now! You know what we should do, Es?"

"We should go back to the village-"

"-No! We should spar! C'mon, just a little?"

"...Well…"

"C'mon Es… you know you want to!"

"...Fine. But you better be prepared to lose, punk bastard!"

"Hah! That's what I like to hear!"

It was a simple memory of his youth that he always fondly reminisced and yet at the same time, it haunted him. He loved to remember his friend- but sometimes the consequences of remembering were far too heartbreaking to handle. It made his chest ache as if there was a ton of lead in his lungs that weighed him to the ground. It hurt even though he was inside of a dream. It just goes to show that he could craft the most pleasant, most beautiful, most peaceful place in his mind where he could hide from the horrors of reality- but it could never mask the pain that already exists within his heart. The facade he had created in this spring of bubbles around him was not enough to distract him from his hidden insecurities- or the grief that caused them.

He sighed. A memory within a dream huh? He didn't know that was even possible.

He poked at his reflection with his index finger, dipping into the water for just a second. As he removed his hand, he stared into his distorted reflection in the moving suds, furrowing his brow as he realized that his image was beginning to take the shape of somebody else. He squinted down at the stranger looking back at him from the water until the ripples quelled- and he realized he wasn't looking at a stranger at all.

At first, he thought it was Winona. However, he soon realized that the white female hedgehog lacked many of Winona's most defining features. She wasn't wearing those wide, goofy-looking golden framed glasses, nor did she look at him with submissive, polite eyes. No, the female who was looking at him may have been identical to Winona, but it wasn't her. She had long, straight quills and donned a mischievous smirk on her face as she looked at him with eyes of gold. There was also one major detail about the girl that he simply couldn't ignore- attached to her back were the white-feathered wings of an angel, and above her head was a bright white halo.

Though he now knew who he was looking at, he asked the question anyway, "Who are you?"

"You know who I am, silly Chameleon."

"Why am I dreaming of you?"

"You're not. I came here on my own accord." The girl spoke in a teasing, child-like voice, "You have so many walls up in this mind of yours, I spent hours trying to get in here. Sorry about the sad stuff. You probably didn't want me to see that, but I had to invoke some sort of emotional response in you, or I might not have been able to get past your mental defenses. I've been following you for quite some time-" Her words were interrupted by a loud beeping that emitted from the vague nothingness around them, causing her to look about with an annoyed expression, "-Oh, great," She rolled her eyes, "-I've just gotten to you and we've already been interrupted. You better come back to this dream, you hear me?"

Espio's confusion rendered him speechless, and the rhythmic beeping that blared into his dream from reality made it hard for his dream self to focus. Before he knew it, his fantasy world began to drift away into darkness- and slowly, Espio opened his heavy eyelids, allowing the morning sunlight to blind him temporarily. As he rose from his bed, he felt a dull ache in the center of his forehead weigh his face toward the ground. He was too groggy to process his dream, which he was woken from by a flashing alarm clock on his nightstand. Before he slapped his hand onto the snooze button, he realized that he never even set an alarm the night before.

11:11a.m.

Why in the world would he set an alarm for such a specific time of day? Chalking it up as nothing more than a mistake, he poked the snooze button and threw the covers off of his body. As he readied himself for what he expected would be a rather awkward day, he cursed himself for being so irresponsible. He planned to be up early to warn Vector that Winona would actually be staying with them for the foreseeable future- unless, of course, the Princess changes her mind on a whim. In which case, Espio would have to find another way to keep an eye on Winona, which was something he simply did not want to do. After the story his Master had told him about her experience after being discovered by Winona's mother, he didn't want to make any mistakes that might land him on a Witch's bad side.

He also felt the need to make sure that Charmy and Vector knew to stay in their lanes and behave themselves. He couldn't have any of their crazy antics scaring Winona away and messing up this convenient opportunity he had. Of course, there was only one way to ensure that they'd truly understand just how serious he was about this- he would just have to tell them exactly what was going on.

So, he forgot his dream and left his bedroom, heading straight to the bar where his two team-mates sat. It seemed that they were already discussing Winona.

"No, Charm. You can't be hanging out in the hallway while there's a lady showering in our bathroom! Ladies like their privacy! You can wait to go upstairs to your room until she's done!"

A groan escaped Charmy's lips as Espio entered the bar and headed straight for a clean mug on the counter. The Bee slumped, "I just wanna play video games."

"Ah, so that's where she is." Said Espio casually as he ducked under a cupboard for a box of tea, "I was wondering if she was still here."

Vector glanced up at the Chameleon with suspicion, "That's awfully weird, Es."

Espio raised a brow, "Why is that weird?"

"You're hardly ever concerned with anybody besides yourself. Oh, by the way, you can stop what you're doin'- look," Vector pointed to a teacup that was placed delicately atop the counter behind the Ninja. The tea inside was steaming as if it had just been brewed, and inside of it was a little spoon that seemed to be stirring all by itself. Espio looked at it with his mouth agape, inspecting the spoon as he leaned in closer to it. Vector then continued speaking in an amused tone, "Winona asked me what you usually have in the morning, so I told her you like that tea shit. She made it two hours ago, by the way. She mentioned that she bewitched it so it'll never get cold- but then she started makin' a fuss because she was worried that the tea would settle at the bottom, so then she bewitched a spoon- She really made sure that she made it perfect. Wasn't that just so nice of her, Charmy?"

Charmy stifled a cackle of mischief as he nodded in agreement. Espio turned to Vector as he realized the playful, teasing nature in the Crocodile's voice and narrowed his eyes as he realized the direction that the conversation was headed in.

He made an effort to ignore their taunting.

"That's stupid. She shouldn't be walking around." He meant this as a dismissive comment, but it seemed as though Vector and Charmy had taken it a different way.

"See that? He's trying to backtrack now that we've caught on." Vector whispered to the Bee.

Espio put his hands on his hips and sighed in exasperation, "What on Mobius are you talking about?"

"Well, I was just talking with Charmy and I mentioned how odd it was that you were so determined to make sure that Winona was okay the other night- and how it's just so weird to see you being so thoughtful and nice. I mean, you wouldn't offer to stitch up anybody else like that! If it were me, you would've told me to stop whinin' and go to the doctor." Vector laughed and spoke sarcastically, "Who knew you had it in you to turn into a selfless gentleman overnight."

Espio crossed his arms, "And what are you implying?"

"Buddy, c'mon. It's obvious. You two were talking last night for like, hours!"

"Yeah, Espio. Did you get a kiss as a reward for being her knight in shining armor?"

Charmy's comment sent Vector into a fit of hysterical laughter, causing the Ninja's cheeks to grow red. Espio tried to veil his fury, but the twitch of his right eye gave away his irritation, causing his partners to laugh even harder. Espio pointed a finger at Charmy and spoke through his teeth.

"You, get out. The adults need to talk."

Charmy threw his hands up defensively, "Where am I supposed to go? Vector won't let me go upstairs!"

"Outside, the office. Frankly, I don't care where you go, so long as you're out of my sight. I won't tolerate your childish teasing."

The Bee sighed as if he was just assigned an exhausting task and allowed his wings to carry himself out of his chair. Then, he buzzed right out of the front door, shouting to Espio behind his back before he closed the door behind him.

"Whatever, have fun with your girlfriend, Espio! I'm going to go find Mighty or something- Unlike you, he can take a joke."

The Chameleon scoffed as the door slammed, then looked at Vector in annoyance, "Do you really have to encourage behavior like that?"

"Sorry, buddy- it just really seems like you and her have a *thing* going on."

Espio held his tongue. As badly as he would have liked to give Vector a piece of his mind, he simply didn't have the time for it. He cleared his throat and spoke to the Crocodile in a low voice to avoid being heard, "Listen, I really need you to cooperate right now. I need Winona to stay here with us for a while, and that's just what I have convinced her to do. And no, it's not because we have a *thing*. There is no *thing* going on. So I'd better not hear any more stupid theories."

Vector raised a brow, "Then what is going on? You're seriously never like that and it's kind of freakin' me out."

Espio spoke in a near whisper, "You remember how I left for a mission a couple of days ago?"

Vector gasped, "Aren't you not allowed to tell me about that?"

"Technically, there is no rule against it, but it is taboo. So long as it helps me tackle this mission more effectively, I don't see why I can't tell you-"

"-Oh my god, are you really going to tell me about your Ninja mission?" Vector shook his hands in giddy excitement, "You've never told me about your Ninja missions before!"

"...Yes, Vector, so please don't make me regret it."

"I won't, I promise!"

Espio looked at his partner in doubt, but continued regardless, "Winona has to stay with us because her brother might pose a bigger threat than any of us could have anticipated. My Master has tasked me with keeping Winona safe. She's under our protection because she might be the only person capable of bringing her brother down. You and Charmy are going to have to try your best to behave. I suppose I also wouldn't mind an extra pair of eyes on her at all times, too-"

"So that's why you're being so weird with her! Wait, does Winona know about this?"

"No, she just knows that we want her to work with us. I don't want to scare her off by outright telling her. Besides, we need her with us to figure out how we're going to put a stop to these demonic possessions, so maybe you should take this seriously-"

Vector chuckled gleefully and rubbed his hands together as he spoke, "This is the best. With her on our team, we'll never go home without a paycheck!"

Espio sighed, "Sure, let that motivate you."

"Oh, I almost forgot!" Vector sprung from the barstool and felt around in the pocket of his leather jacket, pulling out a half-crumpled piece of paper, "Winona asked if I could pick some stuff up from the store- I guess she's got something witchy to do, so I told her I'd do it while I was out getting groceries. I should leave now if I wanna avoid the morning rush-hour traffic-" The Crocodile hurried toward the front door, "I'll see ya' later, bud." Then, Vector walked out onto the front steps. However, before closing the door behind him, he peeked his head back through the door with an entertained smile, "Have fun with your girlfriend!"

The door closed before Espio could get the last word in. The Ninja shook his head and rolled his eyes, allowing Vector's impudent remark to roll off of his shoulder. Then, he turned back toward the little steaming teacup behind him, staring curiously down at the spinning spoon that stirred his tea. He grabbed the spoon with a careful pluck, which seemed to break whatever spell Winona had put on it. Now, it was nothing more than an ordinary utensil.

It was an awfully kind gesture- nobody really ever brewed tea for him before besides his own mother. So, he raised the cup to his lips skeptically. As the hot liquid hit his tongue, he was pleasantly surprised that it actually tasted quite pleasant. It was tasty, in fact- perhaps even the best cup of tea he'd had in a very long time. He took another sip.

"Do you like it?"

Espio nearly jumped out of his skin when Winona appeared from the kitchen. He even spilled a bit of the tea onto the floor as he jolted in surprise. It wasn't even the fact that he hadn't seen her coming that startled him- no, it was actually the specific sweet scent of coconut perfume that wafted into the bar as she entered the room. In an instant, Espio was reminded of his dream, where Winona's dead twin sister Theodora had appeared to him with angel wings. Consumed by his thoughts, he almost didn't respond to Winona, which made her look at him with a bit of concern.

"I-Uh," He cleared his mind of any thoughts pertaining to his cryptic dream and responded quietly, "It's very good, actually. Thank you- but, you shouldn't be moving around. Your leg and your ankle-"

"Oh," She smiled sheepishly, "I knew you'd say something about that. I promise you don't have to worry. I sent Vector to fetch me everything I'll need to make a healing potion. All damage will be undone. So, I hope you won't mind if I borrow your kitchen tonight."

"Well, it's your kitchen now, too. I can't refuse you the right to use it."

"Perfect! Now, tell me, do you really like the tea or are you just saying that to humor me?"

She was swaying her arms as she spoke, looking up to him with eyes that were much more cheerful than they were the night before. The Princess was in much higher spirits- which, for some reason, pleased him. Once again, he almost didn't answer her. He looked down at his cup of tea as he tried to calm his heart that was beating so erratically that he could hear it thumping in his ears. Her scent distracted him, even if it wasn't overpowering in the slightest. He forced words from his mouth without thinking.

"It's nice, it really is delicious-" She beamed that proud smile of hers at him as he praised her, which caused him to stop mid-sentence. What if, like Vector and Charmy, she also got the wrong idea? What if she was also convinced that they had… a thing? The Chameleon, though he'd never admit it, was foreign to the close company of women, and he had never once flirted in his entire life. He had a responsibility to keep her safe and comfortable, which from his perspective was nothing more than his duty. But, what if Winona had mistaken his friendliness toward her as… flirtation? The thought made him want to disappear- but he knew he couldn't do that. So, the Ninja did the only thing he knew to do when people got too close, and that was to push them away. He shifted into a sharper tone, "-Respectfully, I am an adult, Princess. I can brew my own tea."

Contrary to his expectation, her smile did not fade. Instead, Winona acted as though he had just told her a joke. "Sure you can, if you happen to wake up earlier than me, that is. You said it yourself yesterday that we look after each other in this house, I plan on participating. Don't be embarrassed, it won't kill you to drink my tea, especially after you've just admitted that you liked it."

It seemed that everybody in the Chaotix was in a playful mood this morning besides himself. Though, for some reason, Espio wasn't particularly bothered by Winona's teasing nearly as much as he was Vector's or Charmy's. Perhaps it was because she was far less relentless about it. Either way, he still wasn't planning on leading her to believe that he wanted her to brew him tea every morning, so he changed the subject. He looked down at her hands which swayed at her side. Between the fingers of her left hand, she carried her mangled and shattered glasses. He looked back up to her, maintaining an unphased expression in an effort to put an end to the awkward tea discourse.

"I see you've found your glasses."

"Oh, yes. Vector gave them to me earlier this morning, I'm relieved that you both managed to find them. My eyes are rather useless without them."

He glanced at the bent golden frames in her hand in confusion. Surely she didn't mean to continue using them? They were bent almost completely in half, and there was no way they'd possibly function as they did before. Winona wasn't that stupid, he knew that. He cleared his throat, "So, you mean to fix them? Won't you have to get new lenses?"

"Have you forgotten who I am?" She asked with a giggle as she lifted the frames to his eye-level, laying them flat in the palm of her hand. "Mending spells are elementary. Any Witch can do them, regardless of their level. Observe." Right before his very eyes, a teal aura emitted from her palm and enveloped the lenses. As if time was being reversed, the bent and twisted gold metal frames began to unfurl into their original shape. The pieces to the shattered lenses simply fit back into their places like a puzzle that solved itself. Then, she popped the fixed glasses right onto her face and smiled at him. "See? I suppose I can be useful around here- I can fix most things that aren't bigger than myself. Now, I'm off to study. I plan on having enough healing potion to last a year. Let's avoid any more incidents like mine, yeah?" She replied as she motioned to the stitches on her thigh.

He was nearly speechless. He felt like he hardly even participated in the conversation, she basically happily carried it all on her own. As she left him alone in the bar and limped upstairs by herself, he listened and followed her footsteps on the floor above until they reached her room. Only when she shut the bedroom door did he lift the teacup to his lips again and allowed himself to process everything that happened within the mere thirty minutes that he'd been awake.

It seemed that living with a Witch was going to take some getting used to.


	17. 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, I hope you all had a fantastic Thanksgiving. Enjoy the new chapter!

Although he initially planned to stay in his bedroom for the rest of the day to avoid any other awkward encounters, he found himself emerging from his room when he heard the sound of clinking glass from the kitchen. Curiously, he quietly and carefully descended the wood stairs camouflaged, finding Winona fumbling with little bottles that she had arranged around the kitchen counter. Espio assumed that Vector must have returned with the supplies that he promised her since there was now an assortment of obscure herbs, plants, and other miscellaneous ingredients cluttering their kitchen table. Winona was humming to herself as she kneeled on one of the wooden dining chairs and hovered over a boiling pot that sat atop their messy and rusted stove.   
He was going to turn away and return to his bedroom once he found the source of the noise. However, it was hard to resist the urge to watch her. She just made him so damn curious. It was the little things that kept him stuck to his spot on the very last step on the other side of the kitchen-- like the way that she would occasionally reference a giant, leatherbound-book that levitated at her side, and the way that she would flick her wrist and cause its pages to turn all by themselves when she was dissatisfied with the information that it gave her. Once or twice, the gas burner on their old, faulty stove would go out, and instead of fussing with the valves, she would simply reignite the flame by blowing softly at the burner. She did these little magical things so effortlessly as if it was second-nature, and the Chameleon found it so intriguing that he decided to stick around to see what else she was capable of.  
With a steady hand, Winona measured herbs from little glass bottles on the counter with a teaspoon, which she would then flick into the boiling water. As she worked, Espio came to the conclusion that Witchcraft and potion making was delicate work-- measurements had to be exact, and every time she would scoop just a little too much of one ingredient, she would simply pour it back into the glass bottle from which it originated and start all over again. Winona actually did this several times, and although the repetitive nature of her work looked agitating, she continued on with a patient smile. The more he thought about the level of care and concentration that she put into her work, the more she was beginning to look like a mad scientist rather than a Witch.   
Espio sat down on the last step and watched as Winona dipped a finger into her boiling concoction. Rather than flinch in pain from the heat, she actually kept her finger submerged in the liquid for a good minute before pulling her hand out of the pot. He narrowed his eyes in interest when he realized that her finger was red and irritated, but not at all burned. She smiled proudly.  
“Progress. That’s progress.” She muttered as she turned to her floating book. As she flicked her wrist again to flip its pages, her eyes widened in disbelief as she landed on a page that was half torn. Espio lifted his chin, trying his hardest to see what had discouraged her so suddenly-- but he just couldn’t read the book from his position. She shook her head and turned to the ingredients on the table, swearing under her breath. “Damn it,” Winona sighed, “Can I afford to improvise?”   
She had hit a roadblock-- and Espio grew interested in how she planned to solve her problem. The Ninja may have only known her for a short time, but like many other people, he was able to read her so easily. The Princess was incredibly self-sufficient and intelligent. And, despite her pattern of reluctance and lack of self-confidence, he held faith that she knew how to finish the potion even if she was missing the last half of the recipe-- but for some reason, his leg twitched to stand as if he thought for a second that he might be qualified to help her.   
Why? Why did he want to help her so badly? The anxious look on her face made him feel something that he didn’t quite understand. He knew that she was capable of doing this on her own and yet he wanted to be the one to assist her. Perhaps it was because of his responsibility for her wellbeing that he felt obligated to help her finish the potion. It was a potion for her vitality, after all. However, as he rationalized his urge, he remembered the relentless teasing that Vector and Charmy would be sure to subject him to if they caught him alone in the kitchen with her.   
So, he stood again and turned away-- deciding that he’d rather let her figure it out than get involved. His inconsistent thoughts were beginning to annoy him anyway. First, he wanted to avoid her entirely because he was certain that she’d misinterpreted his friendliness as flirtation-- and now he was stuck, fixated on her and unable to look away, debating whether or not he should try and help her? Why? Espio shook away the nagging thoughts. He was acting like a fool. His only obligation to the Princess was to keep her alive, and that was that.  
Content with the conclusion that he came to, he planned to return to his bedroom and meditate again to collect himself, but Winona’s head suddenly spun in his direction. He froze in place when he felt her eyes on him. pushing her glasses up with her index finger as she called up the stairs with a voice of concern.  
“Hello?” She asked.  
He said nothing and swallowed the lump in his throat as she grabbed a wooden spoon off of the countertop and clutched it close to her chest. Winona allowed her legs to slide off of the chair, landing carefully on her good ankle before she hobbled over to the base of the staircase. Espio knew that she definitely sensed his presence, but he could tell from her frightened expression that she didn’t actually know that it was him who stood across from her. She was thoroughly terrified and her hands shook as she gripped the spoon. At first, Espio didn’t understand why she looked so afraid until she called out for a second time.  
“K-Klaus?”  
Well, now he just felt like a jerk. After all, she’d just survived a horrifically traumatizing ordeal the night before and she was convinced that Klaus could appear at any moment to take her life. He’d been spying on her for almost an hour, and now that she’d noticed that she had been being watched, she must have also convinced herself that it was Klaus lurking up the stairs where Espio stood. He didn’t like the way she looked up to him with such a frightened expression, and he was tempted to reveal himself to her so that she didn’t have to be so scared. Thankfully, he wouldn’t have to do that. Vector appeared from the bar and reached out to tap her shoulder, causing her to shriek and spin to face the Crocodile in a panic-- allowing Espio to slip up the stairs and hide around the corner, sighing in relief as he listened to the two speak at the base of the stairs below.  
“Woah, Woah, Woah!” Vector laughed, “Chill out, missy. I didn’t mean to scare you.”  
“S-Sorry-- I just--” She gulped audibly and looked back up the stairs, then glanced back up to Vector with a sheepish smile. “I thought I saw something but… maybe I’m just being silly and paranoid.”  
As Espio caught his breath at the top of the stairs, he realized that he wasn’t going to be able to get away with spying on her without getting caught. She’d just gotten way too close to discovering him-- and if she actually had, he wasn’t sure what he was supposed to say to her to redeem himself. The last thing he wanted was for Winona to think that he was being a peeping tom-- especially if he wanted her to stay with them for the long haul.   
After his heart settled, he returned to his dark bedroom, planning to meditate again to straighten out his mind and collect himself. However, as he sat upon his plush comforter on his mat on the floor, he couldn’t help but notice that his alarm clock was blinking on his nightstand-- even though he clearly remembered turning it off when he woke. The blinking red digital clock was stuck on the same digits that he’d seen earlier that morning.  
11:11  
According to the fluttering feeling in his gut, the odd occurrence wasn’t just a technical malfunction-- but the Ninja ignored it anyway.  
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... .... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

Citrus, pink Himalayan salt, chamomile, calendula-- there were thousands of possible combinations of ingredients that could make or break this potion. Citrus, specifically lemon peels, had magical properties of rejuvenation. Pink Himalayan salt is a natural antimicrobial, but it also detoxifies and dispels negativity. Meanwhile, Chamomile and its delicate, heavenly petals have been used to heal ailments since the beginning of time-- she recalled her mother using it a countless number of times to cure anything from stomach bugs to pneumonia. Calendula, however, was known as the sunshine herb-- an ingredient that was often used in healing teas and poultices, an anti-inflammatory medicinal herb that could be both ingested and applied directly to the skin. Although all of these things that she had laid out in front of her on the dining table were used in many different healing remedies-- there was no guarantee that they’d work together in the potion. And, although she explained this to Vector in great detail, the Crocodile didn’t quite seem to understand.  
“So you’re sayin’ that all of these can heal you?”  
“Well, they’re all used in different remedies.” She explained as she assumed her spot near the stove, carefully kneeling on the chair to relax her sprained ankle. “But some ingredients clash and cancel each other out. Some are blessed by the divine feminine, while others are blessed by the divine masculine--”   
Vector pushed past her to look at the array of herbs and flowers on the table, “--The divine who now? What’s that suppose’ta mean?”  
She chuckled as she nervously eyed the stairwell. Whatever it was on the stairs had given her quite the spook-- and even though she sensed no malicious energy from it, she couldn’t help but feel threatened. She cleared her throat to respond, but she did not take her eyes off of the staircase as she spoke.  
“Well, certain things are charged by certain energies. The energies might clash with one another, which could alter the results.”  
“And you don’t know what energy they have?”  
“No, just their properties.”  
“Well, I guess I see your dilemma--” Vector leaned down to inspect the ingredients on the table, specifically the chamomile and calendula. “--Aren’t flowers a feminine thing? And salt--” He poked at the bottle of chunky pink Himalayan salt with a clawed finger, “--Well, I’d say it’s kind of lady-like because of the color--”  
Winona laughed and shook her head, “It’s not a question of whether or not these things are manly or lady-like. The divine feminine and the divine masculine are deities, silly. They bless these things for magical use and charge them with their energy.” She looked away from the staircase and down at the objects in front of her with a doubtful expression, “Best I can do is guess. If I’m wrong and I muck up the results, I’ll just have to do it all over again I suppose.”  
Vector smacked his teeth before replying to her with confidence, “Choose the flowers.”  
Winona hummed and gave him a look of skepticism, “The flowers? What makes you say that?”  
There was a sad glint in his eyes when he smiled and responded to her, “They just remind me of someone.”  
She tilted her head and studied his expression, carefully plucking the flowers delicately from the table. As she twirled the stems between her fingers, she noticed his aura-- which was ordinarily yellow and reflected his luminous optimism-- grow steadily into a bright pink. She smirked. The Crocodile was referring to a lover. She didn’t even need to hear it from his mouth. She just knew. However, the hint of sorrow in his eyes indicated that they might no longer be together. So, as she spun toward the stove and dropped the flowers into the boiling pot without a second thought, she began to scheme.   
“What’s her name?”  
“Hm?”  
“Your lover. What’s her name?”  
Vector blinked and stammered, “H-Huh?! How’d you know--”  
“--I’m a Witch, love. I know these things.” Winona said pleasantly as she stirred her bubbling concoction, “What’s her name? Why are you no longer together?”  
Vector, who looked as though he’d been taken completely off-guard, struggled to respond. His eyes had grown so soft that she worried for a second that he might actually cry. He sat himself down at the table and rested his head in the palm of his hand, refusing to meet her gaze as he responded, exposing the fragility in his voice.  
“Vanilla. Her name is Vanilla. I’m not really sure if we’re technically separated-- we’ve talked on the phone and she says she still loves me but… she won’t see me ‘cause I said somethin’ stupid.”  
Winona nodded in understanding, “Well, it sounds like she doesn’t want to be away from you forever.” She said in a hopeful tone.  
“Maybe.” He sighed and smothered his face with his hands, groaning out in frustration, “I had last Friday all planned out-- we were gonna’ go to this restaurant and I was gonna show her the ring--” Winona gasped, “--and I thought by this week I’d be planning our wedding.” Vector looked up at her with bubbling, red eyes. His voice cracked as he continued, “But then, uh-- y’know, her Ma passed away and I didn’t know. So I ended up saying somethin’ stupid. Her Ma never approved of me, and so I was never really fond of her either. So I just ran my mouth without thinkin’. It hurt Vanilla so bad that she kicked me out of her house during supper right in front of her daughter.” He sniffed and laughed, “I deserved it. I apologized a million times, but she still keeps avoiding the conversation. I hate that I hurt her that bad. I hate it.”  
Winona dropped the spoon in her hand and allowed it to fall into the potion as she dropped off of the chair. Though she winced as soon as her ankle hit the floor, she ignored the pain and knelt at his side. “We all make mistakes, Vector. You can’t beat yourself up over a couple of words. She’ll forgive you, it’ll just take time.”  
“Yeah well, that’s what you think.”  
Winona sighed, “Look Vector, you can either wallow in your own self-pity and torture yourself or, you could take matters into your owns hands.”  
“I already tried to talk to her about it, but she always deflects--”  
“That isn’t what I’m talking about, silly.” Winona said, pointing a finger at him, “You’ve got a Witch living with you now! And I think I may know exactly how to fix this problem of yours.” Winona stood and hobbled back over to the stove, carefully extracting the spoon from the boiling water before taking the pot off of the burner to cool. Vector followed her with his eyes as she resumed working on her potion.  
“What, you got a love spell in that big fancy book of yours?” He asked, nodding toward the levitating book above the counter. Winona laughed in response as she fanned her steaming potion with her hand.  
“No, I don’t do love spells.” She replied, “I’m talking about a glamour spell.”  
“A glamour spell?” Vector scoffed, “Look, there ain't nothing glamorous about me. I appreciate your advice, but I don’t think Vanilla’s looking for--”  
“--No, no, no.” Winona wagged her finger at him, “Don’t you start with that. Glamour is not just for women. When you take Vanilla out on these fancy dates, do you dress up nicely to impress her?”  
“Sometimes but--”  
“So what you’re saying is that there are occasions where you like to look your best for Miss Vanilla?”  
“I guess, but I’m not understandin’ your point here, Winona--”  
“My point is, a glamour spell is no different. Tell me, do you wear cologne?”  
The Crocodile sighed and eyed her as if unsure, “Yeah, I have cologne. I don’t really wear it though--”  
“Perfect!” Winona turned back toward the stove and dipped the spoon into the potion, sniffing its steaming aroma. “Tomorrow, you will bring me your cologne. I’ll enchant it for you, and then I will send you off to have a chat with Miss Vanilla.”  
“What if she doesn’t want to talk to me?”  
“Oh trust me, she’ll want to do a whole lot more than just talk.” Winona laughed, “I’ve never done it myself, but my aunt was a glamour spell fiend. She never went without a date to a Ball.”  
Vector eyed the spoon in Winona’s hand as she lifted it to her lips and took a sip, smiling only when he noticed the gash on her thigh slowly begin to fade. Winona felt an exhilarating, warm rush of pride as she pressed both of her feet firmly against the kitchen floor with no pain. She smiled widely and held back a squeal of excitement. Not only had she exceeded her own expectations and successfully crafted a perfect healing potion, but she had also won Vector’s trust. He looked so much more confident and hopeful now that he’d seen instant results from her power.   
“That’s crazy.” He said breathlessly, “Are you sure you can’t enchant the cologne any sooner?”  
“Well, I’d love to, Vector, but I’ve got a lot of work to get done tonight. I suppose we can enchant it later if you don’t mind helping me out a bit.”  
Vector, whose bright yellow aura was now pulsing brilliantly around his giant body, nodded in response. “Oh, sure! What do you need me to do? I’ll do anything you want.”  
“Hold your horses, Crocodile,” Winona replied as she carried the pot over to the table. “No need to be in such a rush, we’ve got all day. I just need to bottle up the rest. I plan on keeping it in a cabinet somewhere safe-- hopefully, we won’t ever need it, but it’ll be here in case we do.”  
Vector nodded, “Cool, anything else we need to do?”  
She looked down, “Well… I suppose there’s one other thing. I plan to fortify the walls of the house, you see. I have to bewitch them.” She sighed and shivered, “Klaus is sure to come for me. It’s only a matter of time. I just have to make sure that he can’t get in.”  
“You’re really afraid of him, aren’t you?”  
She turned away toward the bottles on the counter in order to hide the pain in her eyes while her heart sunk in her chest. She bit her lip as she replied with a shaky breath, “I can’t help it. He’s got a strange, unhealthy obsession with me. I just didn’t see it until after he lost his mind.” Winona shook her head and collected the bottles into her arms before carrying them over to the table where Vector sat, “If you heard what he told me, you’d be just as fearful.”   
Vector didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he looked at her with intense eyes and scanned her up and down. While she sat to begin bottling up her potion, he cracked a gentle smile.   
“You know we ain't’ gonna let anybody hurt you, Winona. Me and Espio, we got your back.”  
She felt her throat begin to close up as she tried desperately to silence the voice in her head that repeated Klaus’s words over and over again. It might as well have been an admittance of guilt in her eyes. Or at least an admittance of his own perverted thoughts toward her. Though Vector promised that he and Espio wouldn’t let Klaus hurt her, who were they to a Demon? Vector had meant to soothe her worries, but instead, he had done the complete opposite. She knew that if she continued the conversation, she’d be reduced to an anxious mess, so she changed the subject.   
“Speaking of Espio, I wonder if he’s really okay with me staying here.”  
“What makes you think that?”  
“Well, he’s just sort of odd around me. He’s either quiet and entirely too polite-- or downright cold.” She sat at the table while Vector stood to fetch himself a spoon. As he returned, he helped her begin bottling the potion while Winona continued speaking, “Unlike most people, I can’t tell how he’s feeling. He’s good at hiding his emotions and intentions.”  
“Well, uh,” The Crocodile cleared his throat as if he was nervous, “Y’see, Espio’s kind of complicated.” He scratched the back of his head and sighed, “He’s not as scary as he tries to make himself out to be. He’s actually kind of antisocial and nerdy once you get to know him. His ego can be sort of annoying, but I’ve come to learn that he actually hates bein’ the center of attention. I think a lot of it comes down to the way he was raised. Don’t take it personally, he’ll warm up to you eventually.”  
Winona said nothing. She could only hope that Vector was right about that. Out of the three of them, Winona felt most inclined to befriend Espio. After everything that he’s done for her-- from saving her at the castle in the Aether to stitching up her wound the night before-- she wanted to win Espio’s favor the most. It was a goal of hers that she didn’t quite understand at the time.   
That’s when Winona decided that she was going to brew the Ninja's tea every morning, even if he was too stubborn to drink it.


	18. 18

He walked the fine line between solitude and loneliness like a tightrope, always wobbling and struggling to maintain his balance between the two-- though you’d never be able to tell just by looking at him, of course. He had to meet high expectations as the son of the Master, so he could never go wearing his emotions on his sleeve. He used meditation and seclusion as a tool to process his thoughts and feelings in order to keep himself in control. However, there were times when he’d accidentally dig up painful memories that he lacked the sense to absolve himself. Thoughts that were too harrowing to bear, ones that made him feel sick and disturbed, would be pushed away into the back of his mind.  
Naturally, the consequences of bottling his emotions would cause him to fall into loneliness. Due to the way he was raised, sharing his feelings was unnatural to him. Not even Vector, his own best friend, knew about the storm that brewed inside of Espio-- which had now manifested itself into his dream as a giant, grey cloud that loomed over his pond of bubbles. It hovered menacingly, occasionally flashing and crackling above him, threatening to shower him in cold rain. And though he understood that it was a metaphor for his unhealthy coping mechanisms, he ignored it regardless and sat upon his rock in the middle of the pond as though unbothered.  
“That cloud up there sort of feels like impending doom.”  
His back arched in surprise when he heard her voice from behind his back. Espio gasped and spun his head around to see Theodora looking at him with a bright and cheery smile, swaying on her bare-feet and flexing the massive feathered wings on her back. Her presence, though innocent and upbeat, sort of creeped him out. Why did he have to dream of Winona’s dead twin sister of all people? It felt inappropriate and insensitive, but he didn’t scold himself for it. It was his dream. If he didn’t want her there, all he needed to do was look away and pretend like she didn’t exist. Which was exactly what he did.   
Contrary to his expectations, she didn’t simply disappear like Espio wished she would.  
“Excuse me? Are you ignoring me right now?”  
Espio said nothing and closed his eyes, continuing his meditation as if he didn’t hear her at all-- which Theodora didn’t appreciate.   
“You’re ignoring me. Are you serious right now? Do you know how long it took me to break into this place?” She stood tall, her shadow casting over his body as a flicker of lightning illuminated the sky from the ominous storm cloud above. She sighed, put a hand on her hip, and pouted, “Look, I’m sorry that I stuck my nose where it didn’t belong-- like I said yesterday, if I didn’t dig up the sad stuff, I wouldn’t be talking to you right now. I needed you to let your guard down just a little bit--”  
“--Go away.” Espio replied sternly.   
“Go away?” Theodora scoffed and crossed her arms, “That’s so rude, is that really how you speak to people? Listen, dude, I’m an Angel. Should you really be talking to an Angel like that? You know I was a Princess once!”  
“You’re not a person and you’re not an Angel. You’re an annoying figment of my imagination. Now go away.”  
Theodora, growing increasingly frustrated, groaned and grabbed him by his shoulder, forcing his body to face her. He opened one eye and looked at her skeptically, studying her face and body. There was simply no way that she was a real entity inside of his dream-- he refused to believe it. Though he had to admit, the copy that his mind created of Theodora was impressive. Her image was vivid, and the white of her wings and the halo above her head was almost so bright that he almost had to look away. Her face, though identical to Winona’s, was starkly different at the same time-- and he could make out every pore in her face, every hair on her body, every crevice between the folds of her skin, and every vein in her eyes. No. He closed his eyes. There was no way she was really there appearing to him in his dream. She was a figment. Nothing more.   
Theodora sat across from him with narrowed eyes, “I see. I thought a Ninja from the Shinobi Clan was supposed to be a lot smarter than that. Guess you guys aren’t really as cool as you make yourselves out to be…” a sly smirk spread across her face, “You’re pretty lame, you know that? Shouldn’t Shinobi know what Angels look like?”  
“Watch your mouth.” Spat Espio spitefully as his irritability got the best of him. “You’re not an Angel. You’re just my mind playing tricks on me.”  
She blew a raspberry, “Fine, have it your way. What can I do to convince you that I’m real?”  
“Nothing.”  
“Why not?”  
“Because if you were real, you’d be appearing to Winona. Not me.”  
Theodora seemed to be rendered speechless for a moment as if she hadn’t expected him to bring up such a good point. She leaned back and bit her lip, chuckling in annoyance.   
“There’s an awful convenient reason that she can’t see me. Actually, it’s the reason I’m trying to talk to you if you would just--”  
Espio laughed haughtily, “Yeah, right. I don’t believe you. I control what goes on in my mind.” His tone shifted from amused to dark and severe, “So, go away.”  
“Are you sure about that? By the looks of that storm up there, I’d say that you’re not in control at all. I’d go as far as to say that you haven’t been in control for a long time.”  
Espio tried his hardest to keep his cool, but he couldn’t hide the agitation on his face. There was another flash of lightning up above and from beyond the edge of the water there was a gust of wind. Again, Espio did not reply. Instead, he shut his eyes tightly, searching inside of himself for the power to cast Theodora away so that he could be alone with his storm of grief and sorrow. But of course, she didn’t go anywhere. So, he sighed and opened his eyes, looking at her reflection in the sudsy water as she stared at the back of his head.   
“Maybe you aren’t ready for this.” She sighed, “When I heard about you, I was certain that you were fit for this…” Theodora then tilted her head up and scanned the dark clouds above, “If I deal with this, will you talk to me? If I prove to you that I’m real, will you listen to what I have to say?”  
Espio stayed silent.  
Theodora snapped, “Fine, be that way!” She grabbed him tightly by the shoulders. Espio gasped and tried to free himself from her iron grip, but couldn’t fight back as he was pushed toward the water. She forced him to look down at their rippling reflections as she angrily shouted, “You better be looking for my signs! You also better be grateful for what I’m about to do! I’m not the kind of Angel who likes to wake the dead!” Then, with one swift and harsh push, Theodora sent Espio right into the water.  
He jolted awake in his bed with a gasp, the sound of his alarm clock once again blaring at his side. Squinting his eyes, he threw the covers off of his body and grabbed the alarm clock, holding it out in front of him with his mouth agape. Once again, his alarm had gone off even though he hadn’t even set it the night before. And, of course, the digital clock displayed the same red blinking numbers.  
11:11  
Espio swallowed hard and exhaled a shaky breath. He knew it was no coincidence, yet still, he wanted so badly to deny it. Frustrated, he yanked the cord to the alarm clock out of the socket in the wall and stood, opening the drawer to his nightstand before haphazardly dropping the device inside and slamming it closed. He hid the clock away. Just like everything else. His grief. His shame. His guilt. He locked it away and hoped to never see it again.   
He did little to prepare himself for the day ahead and simply exited his room and trudged down the stairs. When he descended into the kitchen, he was surprised to find that Vector, Charmy, and Winona were nowhere in sight. The only thing keeping him company in the kitchen was a steaming cup of tea that waited for him atop the kitchen counter. Upon laying his eyes on the mug, he sighed and shook his head.  
Stubborn girl. He looked down into his reflection in the tea as he grabbed the mug and leaned against the counter. Though he wasn’t a fan of the idea that Winona might brew him tea every single morning as if he himself wasn’t capable, he had to admit that he appreciated the caffeine. The dream that he’d just endured left him feeling like he hadn’t gotten any sleep at all, and as he raised the mug to his lips, he also realized just how sore he was. He felt as though he’d been mugged in his sleep, his back ached and the muscles in his arms and legs were tight. He figured that a hot shower might be just what he needed to alleviate the pain-- but before he could do that, he’d have to go check on Winona.   
Espio stuck his head out into the bar, but once again, he found the room to be completely empty. Confused, he carried his hot tea in his hands as he climbed back up the stairs. He made his way to the end of the hall to the living room, where he was relieved to see Winona sitting comfortably on their couch. She looked so out of place sitting there, looking so proper and refined compared to their worn leather couch that was so beaten and battered that stuffing was poking out of rips and burn-holes from cigarettes that had fallen from Vector’s mouth. Though, the Princess didn’t seem to mind her messy and grimy surroundings. She actually looked quite content as she sat there with an open book in her hands which was currently absorbing one-hundred percent of her attention. In fact, she was so enthralled by the novel that she hadn’t even noticed him standing there in the hallway. He sat for a moment and scanned her up and down. He knew there was something different about her, and it actually took him a minute to realize that the wounds that she’d suffered just two nights before were completely gone. No scar or stitch in sight. She was in perfect health.  
Good. Now it was his job to keep her that way.   
He planned to make his exit before Winona had the chance to see him, but Charmy-- who Espio didn’t even notice was seated beside Winona the whole with a game controller in his hands and a headset on his head-- called out to him cheerfully.  
“Good morning, sleepyhead! What’s up with you sleeping in, lately? You never usually do that.”  
Winona’s ears twitched, and she looked up from her book to greet him with a quick bright smile before her attention turned back to the pages of her book.  
“Good morning Espio,” She said pleasantly, “I hope you enjoy your tea.”  
The Ninja glanced back at Charmy, expecting for the Bee to be snickering at him from the other side of the couch-- but Charmy was thankfully too busy with his videogame to notice the short interaction between Espio and Winona.   
“Good morning,” He replied in a flat tone as he entered the living room, “I see your potion was successful.”  
Winona didn’t respond. Thinking that she simply didn’t hear him, he opened his mouth to repeat himself-- but she put up a finger quickly to hush him as she scanned the pages of the book in her lap feverishly. After a moment of absorbing the paragraph that she had just read, she finally looked up to him with a sheepish smile.  
“Sorry!” She said with a laugh, “I just got to the interesting bits. I didn’t hear you, what did you say?”  
Espio smirked and waved her off as he sat cross-legged on a pillow in the corner of the room and sat his hot tea on an end table beside him, “Nothing, don’t mind me. I was going to shower, but I think I’ll join your company instead if you don’t mind.”  
Winona smiled warmly, “Of course.”  
He straightened his sore back and rested his hands on his knees while pressing his spine firmly against the white wall behind him. Closing his eyes, he began to steady his breathing. Since he wasn’t subject to any teasing like he expected, he decided that it didn’t hurt to meditate in their presence. They were mostly silent anyway-- save for the occasional sound of a page-turning and the aggressive tapping of the buttons on Charmy’s controller, which he was able to tune out after some time.   
Coexistence like this was rare with the Chaotix-- he’d never gone so long without being interrupted before, which he found perfectly relaxing after such a taxing night of unrest. He’d gotten so deep into his meditation that he actually forgot that the two were even there. He could have sat there for hours on end if it weren’t for the sudden jarring sound of the front door slamming in the bar downstairs, which shook Espio back into reality. Winona gasped and turned to Charmy, nudging the teen with her elbow until she finally got his attention.   
The Bee pushed the gaming headset off of his head, “What, what is it?” Winona put a finger to her lips to hush him as she closed her book and listened closely as hurried footsteps could be heard rushing up the wooden stairs from the kitchen. Espio recognized the weight of the thumping down the hall to belong to Vector, who appeared in front of them huffing as if he had sprinted for miles to get there and looked at Winona with wide eyes. Espio felt refreshed to see his friend in such a positive state after weeks of sulking-- however, it was obvious that something had happened to Vector that made him so delighted in the first place. Something big.   
“Did you do it?” Asked Charmy excitedly, who allowed his controller to fall from his lap as his wings carried him off of the couch. Winona also looked up to Vector with a wide grin as if she expected something out of him. Meanwhile, Espio was left in the dark to wonder about what was happening in the first place, his eyes shifting back and forth between the three of them as he sat in his place in the corner of the living room.   
Vector stood before them with a breathless, goofy smile that widened slowly before he answered them, “It worked.”  
Winona gasped and clasped her hands together, “She forgave you?”  
Vector crossed his arms and looked down at her, “Oh she did a lot more than forgive me, that’s for damn sure!” He laughed while Charmy pretended to gag in disgust and Espio rolled his eyes. Winona, on the other hand, was seemingly blind to the suggestive implications that Vector had just made and looked dissatisfied with his response.  
“Yes, but did you do it?” She asked innocently.  
“I-I-- uh--” Vector choked on his words as his face grew red, “Winona I can’t really share that kind of information--”  
“What do you mean?” She pouted and crossed her arms, “I gifted you that spell for a reason, Vector. Did she agree, or not?”  
“A-Agree?” Vector glanced at Espio in confusion, “What are you talking about?”  
The Princess huffed in frustration, “The ring! I know you brought it with you, it was on the counter this morning and it was gone when you left. Don’t tell me that you got cold feet last minute!” Her begging and prodding made Vector’s smile widen even more, which seemed to answer her question. She gasped and bounced excitedly, “So she agreed then?! You’re engaged?!”  
The Crocodile laughed nervously and shrugged his shoulders, “Well, I ain't technically supposed to break the news yet.” He replied with a wink, “We’re all going out to eat tomorrow night! That’s when we plan on announcing our engagement formally, so everybody better dress their best tomorrow.”  
Winona squealed, “That’s wonderful news, Vector!”  
Yes, wonderful news indeed. Although his friend was absolutely beaming like a ray of sunshine, Espio found it difficult to feel happy for Vector at that moment. The storm inside of him still clouded his mind, and he felt guilty that he couldn’t even force himself to muster a simple congratulations. He stood there beside Winona and Charmy silently, wishing that he could say something positive and contribute to the conversation-- but even though he had something meaningful to say, he couldn’t spit it out.   
He wasn’t fond of projecting his issues onto other people. So, for the rest of the day, he avoided the rest of the Chaotix, spending time alone in his bedroom while listening to Vector and Winona’s excited and giddy banter from the living room. And while he was glad that Winona was getting along so well with his partners, the Ninja couldn’t participate. He was beginning to feel overwhelmed, which was something he hardly ever experienced. He tried to meditate, but every time he closed his eyes he was assaulted by the same graphic and grizzly memory. He couldn’t help but reference the dream he had the night before and wonder what it all meant.   
He suffered alone with his thoughts and overflowing emotions, pretending as though he wasn’t bothered. He was far too prideful to admit that he was losing control, even if nobody would be there to see it. He stayed there until the sun left the sky and the moon took its place when he finally decided that polishing his kunai and shuriken was failing to distract him. The noise from outside his bedroom door had since dwindled, and Espio figured that the rest of the Chaotix must have gone to bed. So, he left his bedroom to wash up before turning in for the night-- but as he flicked on the bathroom light, he noticed that Winona’s bedroom door was slightly ajar. The light flooding into the dark hallway from where Espio stood illuminated through the crack in the door, exposing an empty bed. Winona wasn’t in her room.  
It concerned him, so he set out searching for her. He figured that she was likely in the kitchen cooking up some new potion, but he was surprised to find that she wasn’t there either. He walked into the dark kitchen and glanced at the digital clock on the microwave, once again greeted by the same number.  
11:11  
He stared at the clock, which blinked at him from the other side of the dining table, reflecting in his golden eyes. He was stuck staring at it. He stood there for minutes, and yet, the clock never changed, as if time had come to a complete stop. He knew this was her sign, but his sensible, logical mind had yet to accept it. He would have sat there forever waiting for the clock to change, but a little noise had drawn his attention to the bar. His nerves were rising and he was growing so antsy about the strange synchronicities that he pushed through the door from the kitchen aggressively as if he expected some kind of foe to be hiding behind it. However, he was met with nothing more than a dark bar. There was no foe, just Winona.  
Her body, which was curled up at a booth near the front door, was visible thanks to the cool moonlight which flooded through the window where her eyes were fixed in a relaxed gaze. Her book was laid out in front of her, but unlike before, she was hardly interested in it. In her hands, she fiddled with the stone that she had gotten from the museum. It seemed that she didn’t hear him enter because when her eyes finally glanced up at him, she jumped and dropped the stone onto the table in front of her.  
“Oh!” She put her hand to her heart, “I thought you had gone to sleep.”  
He put his hands up and forced an apologetic smile, “Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you.” He stepped out from behind the dark bar and prepared a lie in order to seem as though he weren’t just lurking in the kitchen like a weirdo, “I heard a noise, I thought Vector might have popped himself some champagne to celebrate his engagement early, but I guess I was wrong.” She smiled and nodded, then looked back out of the window with a wistful gaze. “Can’t sleep?” He asked.  
“Well, I tried.” She said as she reclined in the booth, “I’m sorry that my paranoia has woken you as well. It’s funny how I can find the strongest charms in my book to bewitch these walls and yet still feel so--”  
“Scared?”   
She refused to meet his eyes in an attempt to hide the uncertainty on her face when she responded, “Well, I was going to say paranoid… but yes, that too. It is a full moon, after all.”  
His sense of duty overrode his own paranoia. So, he turned away from her for just a moment before heading back into the kitchen, “You stay there. I’ll make tea.”  
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 

When Espio returned, he set a hot cup of tea beside her book and sat across from her in the booth, watching her with those bright piercing eyes of his. Winona understood that Vector was the leader around here-- the Crocodile was the charisma and voice of the Chaotix as a whole. However, Espio carried with him an aura of authority that Vector lacked. She had no idea how to approach such a quiet and private person-- but on that night, something was different about him. He, too, was off-balance-- which made the message she received just an hour prior make a lot more sense.   
“Now, what does the moon have anything to do with why you’re so scared?” He asked.   
“Well, the moon manipulates our souls just as it manipulates the tides,” She explained as she took the warm porcelain tea-cup in her hands, “Our emotions are heightened during the full moon. Some of us are so sensitive to the moon’s power that it drives us to make choices that we wouldn’t usually make, or feel things we wouldn’t usually feel.” She laughed as she lifted the cup to her lips, “Who knows, maybe I’m just trying to make excuses for myself.”  
He hesitated to respond, looking back toward the kitchen over his shoulder. “...I suppose that could explain a lot.” He muttered quietly before glancing back at her, “Is that why you’ve got that moon tattoo on your arm? You’re a fan of the moon?”  
She thought at first that he was belittling her-- but then, after analyzing his awkward demeanor, she determined that he had actually meant to make a lighthearted joke. So, she laughed-- although she found his little attempt to be funny more amusing than the joke itself. She pushed up her sleeve and pointed at the tiny mark on her forearm.   
“You mean this?” She asked. He nodded, which amused her even more. He was beginning to seem a lot less intimidating now that he was actually attempting to make conversation. “No, love. This is a Witch Mark, which is just a fancy name for a birthmark.”  
“You were born with that?”   
For some reason, his sudden innocent interest in her made her feel… almost special. Although she knew that he only meant to be kind and take her mind off of things, Winona felt flattered that the stoic Ninja actually cared to learn about her.   
“Y-Yeah. Every Witch is born with a mark corresponding to their god or goddess. That’s where we get our power from.” She had to look away from his golden, glittering eyes to calm her racing heart, “The moon is my goddess, so I am marked by the moon. I actually came here to pray. My prayers are usually left unheard, so I brought this.” She lifted the Hagstone off of the table, “I thought maybe it’s power would carry my prayers for me, but I think I’ve gone unnoticed once again. I never hear back.”  
“Is that so?” He lifted his own cup to his lips, “You’re the last Witch, shouldn’t your prayers take priority?”  
“Gods don’t have priorities.” She replied with a shrug, “Besides, ever since I was a girl, I’ve had issues contacting light entities like gods and Angels. My sister, however--” She lifted an old little photograph that she used as a bookmark, which depicted herself and her twin sister as toddlers, dressed in their best gowns in her mother’s garden. “She was a natural at contacting gods. I was always quite jealous. Sometimes I wonder if there’s something wrong with me.” She finished with a laugh.   
Espio’s eyes widened upon hearing her words. And, as soon as he laid his eyes on the picture in her hand, he began to act even more strange. He pointed at a tiny handwritten caption at the bottom of the photograph-- one that her mother had written when she was just a little girl.   
“What is that?” He asked this with a sense of urgency that almost alarmed her. Confused, she flipped the photo around and read her mother’s writing over and over again, trying to figure out what he found so strange about it.   
'Teatime with Mommy in the rose garden. 11:11 am on a hot summer’s day.'


	19. 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for the late upload!! I've been working on multiple projects and with Christmas coming up, I haven't had a whole lot of time to write. I hope you enjoy this chapter, happy reading!

"That number!" He elaborated as he pointed at the picture, "I've been seeing it everywhere, it's driving me up the walls!" He looked her in the eyes, begging for answers. It was no coincidence that the number had led him to her- and judging from the look of understanding on her face, Winona knew full well what the number meant. However, due to her mixed expression, he couldn't actually tell if it was a good thing or a bad thing. Her eyes fell to the table and her shoulders sagged as though she were displeased. Yet, at the same time, she forced a pleasant smile that he could tell wasn't entirely genuine.

"Well…" She looked down at the picture as the blue light from the window glittered in her eyes, "My Mother used to have a fondness for these numbers. Angel numbers- that's what she called them." Winona continued in a flat tone, oblivious to the visible shock on Espio's face, "It is rumored that one might see repeating numbers or symbols when an Angel wants their attention. It's a blessing."

Angel numbers? A blessing? He was sure that his face had grown pale- he could feel the blood run from his head down to his heart, which thumped anxiously in his chest. She had just validated so many of his concerns and she didn't even know it. So he had been contacted by a real Angel. Not just any Angel- but Winona's own dead twin sister, who he had foolishly disregarded. Theodora was truly reaching out to him, and he had rejected her authenticity every single time. He wasn't ready to return to his room and sleep. Not when Theodora would be there waiting for him.

He hadn't realized that he was now staring at Winona with a bewildered, wide-eyed gaze. No, he was too stuck in his shock. If it weren't for the fact that Winona had confirmed that she was truly unable to contact Angels just as Theodora had implied in his dream world, he would have likely still have been stubbornly denying her existence.

What was he supposed to do?

The jealousy in Winona's face made him hesitate to confess what had actually been happening. It was obvious that she was hurt, and he couldn't exactly blame her for feeling that way. He was a Ninja, and she was a Witch. It was cruel that out of the two of them, he was the one to be blessed. Outright telling her that the Angel who was contacting him also happened to be her sister would be like rubbing salt in a wound- and he didn't have the heart to tell her the truth. So, he told a half-truth.

"Are you okay, Espio?"

"Y-Yes, I…" He exhaled a shaky breath, "See, I've been seeing these numbers and I've been having strange dreams lately… and well, they've been sort of cryptic. I've been thinking a lot about an old friend who…" He forced the words out of his mouth, maintaining his composure by straightening his back, "Well, he passed away."

Winona's mouth opened, but no words fell from her tongue. Instead, she seemed to be struck with a sudden thought. She whispered something under her breath while she looked away as if she had come to some sort of revelation, then looked up to him suddenly.

"Botan."

All she had to do was mutter his name. Espio's breath was stolen from his lungs, and his thoughts were overcome by memories. Botan's face, which had slipped from his mind as time passed, was now suddenly visible in his thoughts. His throat closed up and for the first time in a very long while, Espio's eyes began to bubble with tears- which he promptly blinked away.

"How…?" He whispered in disbelief, "How did you know?"

She smiled, "He came to me. Just an hour ago. He had a message for you, and I was going to wait for a better time to tell you, but-" She laughed, "I think your Angel had other plans."

"He- He came to you?" He sat back in his seat. It was all beginning to make perfect sense. Botan was the root cause of the raging storm in his heart, and Theodora had pledged to rid him of his grief to appease him and prove to him that she was real- leading him right to Winona, the only person that could give him any sense of closure. He now understood what Theodora had meant when she said that she intended to "wake the dead." He rubbed his forehead as he attempted to process what was happening to him. Then, he looked back up to Winona, who had a face full of worry. He cleared his throat, "Does he…" He choked out the painful words as if they were dirty, "Hate me?"

She blinked at him in confusion, and once she had realized what he just said, she placed her hand atop his delicately. "No, love. He doesn't hate you. Why in the world would you think that?"

He flinched as if to pull his hand away, but after a moment beneath her warm touch, he succumbed to her comfort and allowed his fingers to relax. He had never felt so safe before- and so, for the first time ever, he allowed himself to recount the memory.

"I always told him that his mouth would get him into trouble one day." He shuddered, "I was always half-joking, but… I knew it would happen. I just didn't think it would happen the way that it did." Winona nodded, listening with a warm and patient expression, rubbing her thumb across his knuckles while he spoke, "It was the first mission that I ever led. Our Master had instructed us to lead one of our elders through the jungle to deliver offerings to a shrine. It was supposed to be easy- it was supposed to go without a hitch." He bit his lip and looked down at her hand, "But… on our way there, we were ambushed by Samurai- There were too many of them, and we were overpowered. It was just the two of us against eight of them." He paused and closed his eyes, "We fought them off long enough for our elder to escape back to the village but eventually we were both at their mercy-" He laughed spitefully, "I say mercy but… they had none. They took us as their prisoners and they had intended to execute us." His voice cracked again, prompting Winona to grip his hand gently, cradling his palm.

"It's okay, Espio. Take your time."

He did just that. He took a steady breath before he continued, looking Winona in the eyes the whole time. He didn't want to show her his weakness, but it was now clear to him that he had finally lost control of himself. "I remember fighting back when they took him. I demanded they take me first. He was younger than I was, and he was scared-" He lost control of his words, and as he allowed them to flow, he felt a weight lift from his shoulders. It may have been painful, but it was an incredible relief at the same time. So, he let go of his emotions and allowed a tear to fall, though his expression remained as though he felt nothing at all. "But even though he was scared, he shouted obscenities at them- he called them cowardly and said that they lacked honor. So, they-" He cleared his throat, "They killed him. Slaughtered him like some kind of animal. Butchered him. Then it was my turn… and they killed me too. I died that day- I actually woke up in that forest. That limbo in the Spirit Realm. I was smothered in his blood even though I hadn't even touched his body when he died and I think- I think it's because I felt like I hadn't done enough to keep him safe. I'm guilty of his death, and I too lacked honor. I was his superior and it was his first mission, he was just promoted and I- I should have kept him safe, I should have-" he caught himself mid-ramble, "It took his death for me to realize that I was a flawed being. It shattered me, and I had just begun to accept my fate at the hands of those creatures… those Demons in that fucked up forest- but then, I was revived. There was a light, and suddenly I was home again. I thought maybe it was all a dream up until I heard my Mother-" He paused and corrected himself, "-Master giving Botan's mother the news. I heard her wailing and she looked at me from the other room with such accusatory eyes. She probably resented me. It wasn't fair that I was the one to live. That's why I think that he must hate me too. So, please tell me, and be honest… does he hate me?"

Winona, whose cheeks were lined with empathetic tears of her own, shook her head. "No, Espio. Not at all. In fact, the only thing he hates is how you punish yourself. Even now, he's whispering in my ear, begging me to-" She laughed, "Well, he's asking me to punch some sense into you, but I won't do that."

Espio's eyes lit up, "He's speaking to you? Right now?"

She nodded, "This whole time. You didn't realize it but you actually summoned him yourself when you started talking about him. He's been filling in the gaps for me, and you actually left out quite a bit. Perhaps you forgot, but Botan remembers how you defended him. You took plenty of hits and you tried desperately to force him to flee. Do you remember that?" She leaned in and smiled at him, "Do you remember begging him to run?"

Espio choked, "I do."

"And he refused." She continued, "He's reminding you right now that he refused a direct order from a superior, which was the choice he made that ultimately led to his death. It wasn't you. You didn't fail him as you claim." She looked over her shoulder and listened, and Espio could almost imagine his comrade's silhouette appearing behind her, muttering in her ear in the beam of pale moonlight. "He says that he wants you to know that he misses you and that even though you both may have parted ways prematurely, he doesn't regret any of the decisions that he made, even if they led to his death. Because if he hadn't done what he did, he wouldn't have been able to save your soul from the Winding Woods in the Aether, and you would have been left to wander and fall at the hands of the Demons who prowl there."

Espio was rendered utterly stupefied. "He… you mean, that bright white light- That was him? Botan saved me from the forest?"

She nodded and smiled widely, "Indeed. And, he has one more thing to say but-" Winona laughed nervously, "It's sort of crude so, remember that it's his words and not mine, okay?" Espio allowed himself to laugh and nodded, eagerly awaiting Botan's last words to him. "He says: I didn't save you so that you could push my memory away and blame yourself for shit that you didn't do. Fu-" She stopped herself and scratched the back of her head, "On second thought, I'm starting to think that he's trying to make me swear on purpose."

Espio chuckled and let his elbow rest on the table, supporting his head in his free hand, "He's like that. He loved to annoy people. I can't believe that I'm saying this, but I'm glad that his stupid sense of humor followed him to the grave."

"Yes, he thinks that hearing the Princess cuss like a sailor is amusing," She sighed, "Essentially, he's telling you that he wants you to feel free to remember him fondly without blaming yourself for what happened to him. He's saying something about a storm now…" She cocked her head and paused again to listen, "He says that even the most unrelenting storms must come to an end. Tsunamis, tornados- though they wreak havoc, the damage can be undone." She paused again and straightened her posture before removing her hand away from his. "He's gone now."

"He's gone?" Espio shook his head and spoke desperately, "He can't be gone, I didn't even get to say goodbye- He can't leave yet, can't you bring him back?"

"I'm sorry, I can't." She bit her lip while he looked at her with hurt eyes, "I wish I could. I'm not that advanced yet. However, I can tell you that most spirits prefer not to say goodbye. It feels too permanent. Botan expects to meet with you again one day in the Aether, so what point is there to say goodbye?"

Her words had such an incredible impact on him that he didn't exactly know what to say. Winona, with the help of her sister, had given him the best gift he could ever ask for- something that he had thought was impossible to achieve. She healed him of an affliction that had cursed him for years just within a single hour. Winona now knew and understood him in a way that Vector or Charmy never could, and he was surprisingly comfortable with that fact. So comfortable that he shared another hour beside her in that booth, and their chatter had grown so deep that they hadn't realized how late it was until the early morning sun began to stain the sky a bright, bubblegum pink.

They both parted in the hallway to their bedroom, but before Winona had the chance to close the door behind her, he called out to her.

"Princess."

She spun to face him, "Yes?"

Ordinarily, the Ninja would have found it difficult to express his gratitude toward somebody. He usually struggled to override his pride, and there weren't many people alive who heard the words 'thank you' uttered from his mouth. After what she had just done for him, however, he knew that it would be inappropriate to leave her without giving her his thanks. So, he showed his appreciation for her graciousness the only way he knew how. He bowed, just as he would to his Elders.

Winona seemed to understand the meaning of his gesture and smiled that proud smile of hers, which only grew in size as she responded.

"You're welcome."

He returned to bed promptly, hoping to sleep so that he could report to Theodora and listen to whatever she so desperately needed to tell him- but he couldn't sleep. Not after the stress that he'd just endured. Before he knew it, the sun was high in the sky and Vector and Charmy were wide awake; bustling in the kitchen loudly as they prepared their breakfast. The Chameleon sighed and pulled his body up from his bed, rubbing his tired eyes.

"Sorry, Theodora…" He whispered, "No sleep for me today."

"That's fine, I can talk to you here too."

The last thing he expected was a response, so he yelled in surprise and fell from his bed onto the floor, and flung a stray throwing star in the direction of the voice. He looked up and had expected an intruder, but instead, Theodora stood before him in the corner of his bedroom. She looked at him as if he was stupid, then moved her semi-transparent body to show him that his weapon had gone right through her and stuck into a scroll on his wall. He stood quickly and stuttered an apologetic response.

"I didn't realize it was you- I-" He stopped mid-sentence when she flexed the white feathered wings on her back, "How… how can I see you right now?"

"Hello to you too, buddy. I'm glad we can start off with a peaceful greeting." She replied sarcastically while curiously roaming his bedroom, "I guess you can see me now that you've opened yourself up a little more. You can thank my sweet sister for that. You're more in tune with your spirit now that you've gotten all that sad stuff out of the way." She poked at a pair of nunchucks that were hung on his wall, "What are these thingies?"

Espio crossed his arms, "That's a weapon. Please do try and refrain from touching my things." Theodora ignored him and continued to prowl around his room, examining his kunai, shuriken, and scrolls as if his bedroom was some sort of fascinating exhibit at a museum. She may have been an Angel, but the Ninja wasn't confident that the two were going to get along. She shared nearly the same appearance as Winona, save for her longer quills and sharper eyes, of course- yet, she seemed to be a lot less considerate. Though he wasn't sure that he should scold her, she was an Angel, after all. Who was he to scold an entity like that? However, once she had started rifling through his things in his closet, he'd grown increasingly more annoyed with her presence. So, he cleared his throat loudly, "What was it that you needed to tell me? I can't imagine that you went through all that trouble to get my attention just so that you could browse my wardrobe."

"Oh, right." She sat herself down on the hardwood floor and clapped her hands, "Listen up, Ninja, because I'm about to put you to work!"

He crossed his arms, "Put me to work…?"

"Well, duh. If you thought you were doing a good job keeping my sister safe, you're dead wrong." Her optimistic and playful attitude suddenly shifted, "There's a lot going on behind the scenes. My brother is up to something messed up, but you can't even begin to start dealing with that until you deal with Klaus first." The serious expression on her face compelled him to sit at his bed and patiently listen to her. Though he didn't appreciate her snide comment, he was willing to take whatever guidance he could get when it came to ensuring Winona's safety.

"What about Klaus? Is he also plotting something?"

"Plotting is an understatement." Theodora scoffed and hugged her knees, looking out his bedroom window as she spoke. "He's been plotting ever since my sister was born. He's wicked."

"Wait… what do you mean? Winona spoke so highly of him before he changed and attacked her."

"Yeah, well," She replied quietly and hugged her knees tighter, "Klaus had my sister fooled. I don't blame her though… I'd probably do the same thing if I were the one who survived. He had her believe that he was a friend. He pledged his loyalty to her like a knight, but his intentions were never noble. Do you want to know why my sister can't see me? Do you want to know why our gods never hear her prayers?"

Espio nodded with reluctance.

"He imprinted on her. He's marked her as his mate. He's claimed ownership of her, and his aura around her has grown so thick that gods can't even see her. My naive sister will never notice what he's done to her unless she raises her level as a Witch. Nauseating, isn't it?"

Nauseating indeed. Deplorable, even. Disgraceful. Horrible. The look on Espio's face was enough to clearly express how he felt about that. His stomach was in knots when he looked away from Theodora's dead stare. He felt so many things- concern, repulsion, empathetic sadness- but above all of the feelings that he felt in that moment, his rage was the most passionate.

"That's…" He shook his head, "What kind of monster…" Espio was struggling to contain his anger, so he took a breath through his nose and exhaled through his mouth in an effort to soothe himself. "You're saying that he's been grooming her?"

"Exactly. And, worse of all, he's been eating. Before our brother broke out, he's been able to hold back. But now that he's consuming soul after soul, I fear…" She sighed, "I fear he may do something drastic. I hear that you all plan on going on a little outing tonight, and if I'm going to be honest, I don't think that's a good idea. He could strike at any moment. So, you better be on your toes, Chameleon." She looked at him with severity, "Because if my sister is killed, and my brother gets what he wants, I'll never forgive you."

He straightened his back and returned her expression with confidence, "So then tell me how to kill a Demon."

She laughed, "You're funny."

"I'm serious." He replied.

"I know you are, that's why it's funny. You can't kill a Demon, silly. But, there is something else you can do. It'll take some time, though."

Espio stood and hovered over her, "I'll do anything. Just tell me what needs to be done, and I'll do it."

Theodora smiled deviously, "Lovely. I knew you were perfect for this job."


	20. 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, sorry for the rather late upload on this one. I've been working on a whole ton of projects and with Christmas coming up, I sort of put this story on the back-burner for a moment. I made this chapter a bit longer than my others to make it up to you! Happy holidays, friends, I hope you enjoy this chapter <3

The city’s streets were bustling, which was to be expected on a warm summer’s night. The sidewalks which they walked were lit with golden light offered to them from the lamp-posts on their left where the city-folk huddled together to share boisterous, happy conversations with each other. It was the perfect night for such a walk, casually strolling together under the twinkling veil of stars that hung over the brightly-lit skyscrapers and corporate buildings that they passed on their right side. Every once in a while they’d pass a niche little antique store or used book shop, which would draw Winona in like a magnet. Espio could see the craving in her eyes as they strolled by, and if it weren’t for Vector’s eager pace to meet his bride-to-be at the restaurant around the corner, she likely would have stopped to gawk through the front windows.   
He didn’t realize at the time how much he had enjoyed watching her head tilt each time she saw something new and exciting. It amused him how her jaw would unhinge at the sight of something as simple as an urban street performance-- a man strumming on an acoustic guitar at the edge of an alleyway, playing an upbeat tune to entertain a group of drunk giggling women. It pleased her, and her smile was addicting. However, underneath the excitement on her face was a bit of anxious behavior that he couldn’t help but notice. She bit her lip every time they passed a dark, ominous alleyway and flinched at every blaring car horn. She was on edge, and Espio couldn’t exactly blame her. The problem remained, of course. Outside of the Agency, Winona was at significant risk. Klaus could apparently teleport to her location at any time if he so desired-- and this fact seemed to cripple her with nervousness.  
According to Theodora’s advice, there was only one way to get Klaus out of the picture. Winona would have to figure out Klaus’s true intentions on her own. Espio could do nothing more than guide her to the discovery by encouraging her to raise her level as a Witch. It was unclear as to how much experience and learning that she’d need, or how he’d get her to that point in the first place-- but it had to be done. After that, Theodora explained that it would be his job to suggest to the Princess that she sever the link between their souls so that Winona could finally be free from Klaus’s demonic influence once and for all. By that time, the Angel claimed that her sister should be more than capable of banishing the Demon herself.   
Because of his newfound deeper respect for the Princess, he felt obligated to soothe her or distract her from her apparent worries. He could tell by the way she stuck so closely to him that she was torturing herself with the possibility that Klaus might appear at any given moment. However, each time he attempted to open his mouth to speak, he found that he didn’t exactly know what to say. He blamed his apprehension on the looming awkward tension after their rather personal interaction the night before, but deep down, he knew that wasn’t the case. He knew that he was beginning to feel differently about Winona when a crowd of people approached them, and in order to move out of their way so that they could pass through, she had to squeeze up against his shoulder-- and when her soft fur had come into contact with his cold reptilian skin, he felt his heart leap from his chest and his body grow warm.   
The Princess laughed, “Sorry, I didn’t mean to bump you.” She turned her head back to glance at the rambunctious group that passed by, “I didn’t think night-life in the city would be so--” Winona gestured vaguely as she struggled to find the right word, “Well, it’s a lot jollier than I thought it would be. The last time I was alone out here, it was pouring rain and I was being chased about like a mouse. When Vector suggested we walk to the venue, I admit that I was a little apprehensive. But, seeing it this way…” She grinned, “I’m starting to really like it here. I just wish I could feel comfortable enough to fully enjoy it.”  
He forced an awkward chuckle from his throat and said the first thing that came to his mind, “I’m glad. Well-- not glad that you’re uncomfortable but I’m glad that-- you know-- that you like it here with us-- in the city, that is. I’m glad you like the city.” He cleared his throat and looked away in utter embarrassment. He’d never in his life fumbled over his own words so severely. He cursed himself for allowing such stupid, inconsice words to come from his mouth. Once again, he found himself in a situation that made him want to disappear.  
Winona noticed his strange behavior and stopped walking, allowing Vector and Charmy (who already had been ten feet ahead of them) to gain some distance from them. “Are you alright?” She asked with concern, “Are you still upset from last night?”  
He shook his head, “N-No, I’m fine. I mean, I’m as good as I can be given the circumstances.”  
“Are you sure you aren’t feeling… sick?” She asked innocently  
“Sick? What makes you say that?”  
She stepped closer to him and scanned his face, then lifted the back of her hand to graze his cheek gently before making a sound of dissatisfaction. “You’re awfully warm… and your cheeks are flushed. I think you might be running a fever.”  
He backed away from her and laughed nervously, “No, you’re mistaken. I feel just fine. Oh, look--” He pointed to Vector and Charmy, who had stopped at the corner ahead of them, “--They must be meeting with Vanilla now, let’s go.” He began his stride toward his teammates before she even had a chance to object. When she looked him in the eyes like that, he didn’t like the way his mind wandered. He wouldn’t even entertain his impulsive thoughts, so he blocked them out before they even had the chance to flourish into something more. He didn’t care how strange he looked when he did it, either. Though, he did sort of regret how unfriendly he must have seemed when he turned away and hurried to Vector’s side.   
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

It was just as Vector had said, Espio certainly wasn’t the social type. She almost felt bad for being so chatty with him, but she really couldn’t help it. Out of the three, she now found herself the most comfortable around him. Winona found it sort of ironic, considering that just a few days prior, she would have described him as perhaps one of the hardest people to approach. Their long chat the night before changed her perspective on the Chameleon, that much was certain. She didn’t think someone like him, with such a cold, aloof exterior, was capable of breaking down in the way that he did. She felt honored that he was comfortable enough to share his vulnerability with her, but it seemed that he was not yet ready for casual conversation.   
With a smile, Winona joined the rest of the Chaotix at the front of the restaurant venue-- which, now that she was looking at it, was a lot fancier than she anticipated. There were marble pillars that stuck up from the sidewalk, supporting a tall black gazebo-like structure where many patrons dined, clad in their formal-wear. She was already nervous knowing that she was going to meet some of their friends for the very first time and she had planned to do her best to make a good impression, but as she looked up at the extravagantly decorated restaurant from the outside, she was beginning to feel as though she was a bit underdressed for the occasion.   
Approaching them from inside the establishment was a tall, elegant-looking Rabbit. She was a radiant beauty, and Winona knew who she was before she even had to shake hands with her. Vector had given her identity away once his eyes laid upon her and his aura grew a bright, bubble-gum pink. Miss Vanilla pulled Vector into her arms, hugging him tightly before turning to greet Charmy and Espio. Then, after a brief and polite introduction with Winona, Vanilla showed them the way to their table.  
“I’m glad to see a proper lady in the agency,” Said Vanilla to Winona as they navigated through the thin gap between booths and tables where other patrons enjoyed their gourmet dinners. The group followed her in a straight line through the posh interior of the restaurant-- their footsteps squeaking on the white marble tiles, which were so clean that Winona could see her reflection in them as she walked. The Rabbit put her hand over her mouth and whispered to her over her shoulder, “To be honest, I worry about these boys sometimes.” Winona stifled a laugh as they approached a veiled table where everyone had begun to sit. Charmy chose a spot next to a Rabbit girl, who looked roughly the same age. The two greeted each other by sticking out their tongues, childishly blowing raspberries until Vanilla came to hush them. “Oh, you two,” The teens laughed together, causing Vanilla to shake her head with a sheepish smile, “Winona, this is my daughter, Cream.”  
“Hello, lovely to meet you!” Cream said politely while Espio took a seat beside a short yellow fox, who was distracted by a little device in his hands. Winona smiled nervously while the other strangers at the table looked up to her with curiosity. A red Echidna watched her with one opened eye as he reclined in one of the many heavy ivory dining chairs, and a pink Hedgehog beside him smiled at her eagerly. Between the pink Hedgehog and Vector, who happily seated himself beside his fiance, there was an empty seat-- which she would have taken had she not been so nervous. So, she took the empty seat beside Espio instead. Winona had done it with the intention to make herself feel less strange and alienated at the table of friends, who seemed to have been deep in chatter before her presence disturbed them. She found herself the center of attention, and she wasn’t sure how she should act, so she smiled and forced a greeting.  
“Pleasure to meet you all, I’m Winona.”  
The pink Hedgehog, who looked as though she was ready to leap from her seat in excitement, clasped her hands together and looked at Winona hopefully, “Is what Vector said true? Are you really a Witch? Do you have a crystal ball? Can you read fortunes?!”   
“Amy…” The red Echidna beside her glanced around the other patrons at the surrounding tables who were looking at them all strangely, “Keep it down, you’re disturbing the other customers.”  
“I can’t help it, Knuckles!” Amy replied, “You should hear Vector’s story! She made him a spell and everything!” She turned to the Crocodile with her arms crossed, “Tell him what you told me, Vector!”  
Vector laughed nervously, “We don’t need to talk about that right now… maybe later--”  
Amy whined and continued enthusiastically while a waitress appeared and passed them menus, “He said that she enchanted his cologne! She can talk to ghosts and stuff!”  
“Hah. Since when does Vector wear cologne?” The Echidna named Knuckles closed his eyes and spoke coldly, “Anyway, I’ll believe she’s a Witch when I see it.”  
The Echidna's disregard and blatant disrespect for Winona’s identity as a Witch made her wonder what she could have done to upset him. His challenging words rubbed her the wrong way, and she was half-tempted to give Knuckles a piece of her mind-- but she ultimately decided that it was far more important to keep the peace amongst them. She was new, after all, and it wouldn’t be fair to expect that all of them would like her right off the bat.   
“O-Oh, well--” Winona laughed nervously, “I didn’t think it was all that spectacular, to tell you the truth. It was just a charm, nothing more.”  
Winona had feared another challenging comment from Knuckles, but thankfully, Vector had risen from his seat to tap a wine glass with a fork, luring attention away from her and onto the happy couple at the center of the table with a ‘Ting! Ting! Ting!’  
“Alright I have an announcement to make-- everybody listen up!” The waitress standing beside Vector popped a bottle of champagne and handed it to him so that he could pour himself and Vanilla a glass. “Today we asked you all to gather here to celebrate, but I didn’t tell ya’ what we’re celebrating in the first place, did I?”  
“No, you didn’t” Amy replied, “But are you sure we should go making announcements when we’re still a person short?” She nodded toward the empty seat beside her and crossed her arms. Her words made the Fox’s ears perk up, and finally, he lifted his head from the little device in his hands.   
“Oh, you didn’t hear? Sonic couldn’t make it.” He said before returning to his device. “He’s off with Shadow.”  
Vector dropped his hands to his sides. Initially, he only looked annoyed after having his engagement announcement derailed, but then after considering the Fox’s words, his agitation was replaced with confusion. “Shadow?” Said the Crocodile, “What’s Sonic doin’ with Shadow, Tails?”  
The Fox-- apparently named Tails, continued to speak while Winona listened in despite the fact that she had no idea what or who they were talking about in the first place. “Yeah, apparently a Chaos Emerald went missing while it was in Shadow’s possession. I’m surprised anybody had the guts to steal from him. He’s not happy about it.”  
Winona’s eyes widened and she looked to the others in fear. Vector returned her expression and eyed Espio, who then looked back to Winona. The three of them looked as though they had just collectively had the same thought. They already knew about the missing chaos emerald, but it seemed that, to their friends, this news was brand new.   
“Oh my…” Vanilla said as she put a hand to her mouth.  
“...And he asked Sonic of all people to help him find it?” Asked Knuckles with an amused sneer, “Or did Sonic butt into his business?”   
“The latter.” Tails replied with a sigh, “Shadow’s been rampaging for a couple of weeks now, so Sonic took the initiative to help him find it.”  
“Was it Eggman?” Amy asked tentatively.  
“That’s the strange thing about it,” Tails explained, “They really don’t think it was Eggman. Shadow kept it in a vault that was protected with alarms and security cameras. Not one alarm was tripped, and not one camera was triggered. The emerald was there one minute, then poof! It disappeared.”  
“...That sounds familiar.” Espio muttered to Winona under his breath while Amy, Tails, and Knuckles continued their conversation, “I believe our client from the Museum said something similar when their artifacts started going missing.”  
“Great.” She replied in a discouraged tone, “Should we tell them?”  
Espio closed his eyes in thought, “Well, that’s up to you.”  
Winona looked up to Vector, who was impatiently waiting for everybody to finish up their conversations before he continued his announcement. She would have liked to pry for more information and figure out whether or not the emerald she’d seen in Varrick’s hands in the Aether was the same emerald that was stolen from this Shadow fellow, but the conversation felt inappropriate in such a setting. It was Vector and Vanilla’s special night, and they deserved the spotlight. So, Winona simply shook her head. She was too nervous to say anything about it anyway-- what would the red Echidna think if she admitted that her brother was the likely culprit behind this alleged emerald-snatching? Certainly nothing pleasant.   
“Well, that’s most unfortunate.” Vector tapped his champagne glass to gather their attention once more, “As I was sayin’-- we’ve gathered you all here tonight to celebrate somethin’ special…” Vanilla smiled while Vector paused and extended her left hand, exposing a glittering white diamond on her slim ring finger, “...We’re engaged!” Vector lifted his glass proudly while his friends gasped and cheered. Everyone seemed thoroughly excited by the news, but Amy was by far the most excited of them all. She squealed and clasped her hands together as she gawked at Vanilla’s ring.   
While everybody else was bombarding the couple with their congratulations and cheers, Winona relaxed in her chair and began to tap her foot nervously. Being reminded of her brother and her responsibility as the Aetherborn Princess dampened her mood-- there was so much that she had to do, and it seemed that there was so little time to do it all. Yet, here she was, concerned that these strangers at this table might not like her. She felt as though for a brief period of time, her priorities had become skewed. So, during everybody’s mass chatter, Winona leaned in toward Espio and whispered.  
“How can I speak to this Shadow fellow? Does he live nearby?”  
Espio turned to her, blinking his eyes as if she had just said something extremely taboo, “I-I’m not sure that would be wise, Winona.” He glanced at the others to make sure that nobody could hear him while he whispered to her, “Shadow is… well, he’s not a bad guy, but he’s not friendly either. I’m not sure that you want to get involved with him.”  
“Well, even if that is the case, I know that my brother took his emerald. It does belong to him, doesn’t it? I feel guilty, that’s all--”  
“Don’t. It’s not like you stole it.”  
“Yes, but my brother did and they don’t know that.”  
Espio sighed, “Winona, that’s really not a good idea.”  
According to the serious expression on Espio’s face, Winona figured that this Shadow character was not one to be trifled with. She’d never heard of him speak of someone with such caution in his voice, and the Princess had begun to wonder why. If he wasn’t a bad guy, then what reason did she have not to tell him that she might know who stole his emerald?  
“...Well, okay. Wait, what about this Sonic guy? Who is he? Should we tell him?”  
Espio looked away suddenly as if the name she spoke had reopened some sort of wound or grudge. His effort to hide his expression from her made her regret even making the suggestion in the first place, but then he contradicted his demeanor entirely and turned to her to say, “I suppose we could do that.” He must have noticed the flat tone in his voice and the way that it confused her, so he sugared his words to hide his dissatisfaction, “He’s um… he’s a friend of ours. He’s very popular, in fact, he’s sort of a celebrity around here.” Though he masked his words politely, Winona saw through his disingenuity . There was disdain in his voice… or perhaps it was envy? Now that she was looking at the Chameleon, who sat with his elbows on the table in a casual lean, she noticed his aura spike in discomfort when he spoke about this Sonic character out of the corner of her eye.   
Who was Shadow, and why was he so revered in the eyes of an elite Ninja like Espio? Who was Sonic, and why did Espio hide his feelings of contentment toward him? These were the questions that she couldn’t shake from her brain-- and while everybody else had begun to order their food from the waitress, Winona was still too preoccupied with these questions to notice when she was called next to order. Everybody’s eyes were once again on her, and she didn’t even notice it until Charmy raised his voice to her from the other side of the table.  
“Uhh… Winona.”  
She jolted back to reality and smiled at the waitress, who held a pen in her hands with a patient smile, “Hi, sorry.” Winona’s face grew hot in embarrassment and she pointed at Vector in a panic, “I’ll just have what he’s having, thank you!” The waitress nodded and jotted down Winona’s order into her notepad, then moved onto Espio who ordered a modest salad. Once everyone had ordered their dinners, Winona shrunk into her seat and averted her eyes from everybody, hoping that they weren’t looking at her strangely. Thankfully, it seemed that nobody had any comments to make about her blunder. In fact, the only eyes that were on her at that moment belonged to Amy, who blinked at her with enthusiasm.  
“Winona, do Witches do fortune-telling or is that just a myth?” Amy asked curiously.   
Winona smiled, “I can do fortunes, but I’m afraid I’m not very good at it.”  
“Do you use tarot cards?”  
“Yes, I do.”  
Amy smirked, “I have the feeling that this is the beginning of a very beautiful friendship.” She then reached into her purse and pulled out a deck of cards, which she then placed into Winona’s open palm. “I got mine from this guy from a shady part of town--” Winona gasped as she slid the cards from the velvet box which held them and turned them over in her hands, “--They’re pretty, aren’t they? You’re a real Witch though, so I bet you have ones that are way prettier.”  
“No, actually I don’t,” Winona spoke breathlessly and smiled as she flipped through Amy’s silver and pink tarot cards, which shimmered with a holographic glint under the light from the gold chandelier above them. “These are… we didn’t even have cards like this at the castle… how creative.”   
“Oh, in that case, you can keep them!”  
Winona blinked up at Amy, “W-What? No, I couldn’t possibly--”  
“Oh, don’t be silly. I have a whole collection. We’re friends now, so just consider it a gift from me to you! Maybe I can come over and we can do readings for each other,” Amy pushed one of her short stray quills from her eyes, “What do you think? Oh, I know! Let’s do love readings!”  
Winona smiled brightly. The attention of another female excited her. Not that she disliked the company of the Chaotix or anything-- she actually quite loved getting to know those boys over the past couple of days. However, there was a void in her heart that they simply couldn’t fill, and that was the need for a female friend with whom she could relate. So, even though love readings weren’t exactly her forte, Winona agreed with a happy nod.  
Knuckles shook his head and let out a sigh, “Love readings… if your cards are really capable of telling your future, then why don’t we use them to figure out where that missing emerald went?” He scoffed, “Oh wait, they won’t work that way. How convenient.”  
Amy raised a brow, unamused as she replied to the Echidna, “And what makes you say that, Knuckles?”  
“Because if you genuinely thought they really worked like that, Amy, you’d be using them for all kinds of important things. You’d use them to predict when Eggman would strike next, not fantasize about Sonic.”   
Amy opened her mouth to respond angrily, but Winona was ready for this conversation. She sat up in her chair and smiled at Knuckles and explained kindly, “I’ll go easy on you since it seems that you don’t understand exactly what these are. I could most definitely use these cards to answer that question if I so choose. I could ask them where the emerald is, who has it-- but they can never name names, nor can they give me coordinates, they answer you the way that they choose to answer. Sometimes, you’ll find that they just don’t answer you the way that you expected. They’re ancient tools, and they’re not meant to be used for things like that.”   
“That’s what’s so convenient about it.” Said Knuckles with a shrug, “All I’m saying is that I don’t trust anybody who claims to have the power to tell fortunes. They’re phonies who like to take advantage of people. It’s wrong.”  
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Espio could tell just by the look on Winona’s face just how utterly disrespected she felt after being subject to Knuckle’s relentless blunt honesty. She shrunk away even farther into her seat and her pink cheeks grew red. She was visibly frustrated, struggling to maintain a friendly tone as she spoke to him with quivering patience.   
“You’re certainly entitled to your opinion.”  
“Winona, don’t mind him.” Said Amy in an attempt to make Winona more comfortable, “He’s stubborn and rude sometimes,” She leaned in to whisper, “He grew up in seclusion, so he just talks like that and doesn’t realize that he’s being a jerk. He’s not always like this, he’s actually pretty nice when you get to know him.” Amy sighed, “He’s also just sort of gullible, I wouldn’t be surprised if he actually got scammed by someone who claimed to be a fortune teller.”  
Winona nodded and looked away as the waitress appeared with their meals. While Espio received his salad, he noticed the crushed look on her face worsen as a steak dinner was set directly in front of her. Espio knew that she hadn’t meant to order it, and that her decision was made from a knee-jerk reaction while she was staring off into space earlier. She avoided touching or even looking at the meat on her plate, and only ate the vegetables on the side while Knuckles continued to make ignorant snide comments about her culture and religion. She looked so uncomfortable and upset that it once again triggered Espio’s sense of duty to soothe her. Knuckles had gone too far, and his occasional insulting remarks had begun to get under the Chameleon’s skin. Winona had been trying her best to politely educate the Echidna, but Espio knew from experience that Knuckles wouldn’t respond the way that she wanted him to.   
It was one comment in particular that made Espio draw the line.  
“I heard stories about Witches, and they all depict them with ugly green skin and warts. What’s that about?”  
“I haven’t the slightest clue, Knuckles. But, there’s one thing that I’m certain of.” Said the Chameleon quickly before Winona even had a chance to respond herself, “I’m certain that Winona’s power is very authentic. In fact, it’s because of Winona’s power that Charmy’s even here with us right now. You may want to think twice about making thoughtless comments before I decide to educate you. In fact, you may even want to apologize.”  
Knuckles’s eyes narrowed, and Winona looked at the two nervously while the others at the table continued their unrelated conversations. Amy was the only other person to hear Espio’s severe words toward the Echidna, and she was looking at him with a face full of shock. Espio knew that it was probably strange to hear such combative words come out of his mouth-- he was usually quiet during get-togethers and hardly ever opened his mouth when they were out at restaurants. Not to mention how odd it must have been to hear him threaten somebody that he considered a very good friend. However, he wouldn’t have used such an aggressive tone if he knew that Knuckles couldn’t handle it.   
Espio and Knuckles shared a mutual respect for one another. Although Knuckles could be dense and entirely too honest, the Chameleon rather liked his company. He knew how to talk to Knuckles in a way that would force him to listen and rationalize his behavior. It was a trick that he learned with time, and he found that it worked in his favor every time. Knuckles looked angry at first, but then, as he considered Espio’s position, he shrugged his shoulders dismissively. Espio knew that he wouldn’t apologize. Knuckles was far too prideful for apologies, and he likely still didn’t realize the gravity of his own words or understand why they even bothered Winona in the first place. However, he seemed to understand that a boundary had been crossed.  
“Hmph, well if Espio says it’s true, then it must be.” Knuckles looked up to Winona after shoveling food into his mouth, “So, can you do anything else besides tell fortunes? Do you fight?”  
Winona seemed distraught upon being directly addressed by Knuckles, and Espio turned to look at her with a smug smile. She nodded to him thankfully and replied to Knuckles hesitantly, “Um, no. I’m not really a fighter. I suppose I’d consider myself a strategist. Violence…” She sighed and smiled, “Violence rather scares me. I haven’t learned any defense magic or summonings yet, but when I do I suppose I could use them to fight, theoretically speaking.”  
Knuckles nodded and swallowed a chunk of food before wrapping up the conversation with: “Hm, that’s cool.”  
Winona’s head spun to Espio, “Thank you, but… I’m so confused,” She whispered to him, “Does he hate me or not?”  
Espio laughed and once again grew weak as he looked into her thankful, shimmering eyes of admiration. He could have sat there forever just looking at her, but Amy’s curious eyes from across the table had caught him staring, so he cleared his throat loudly and looked away from her. “He probably didn’t hate you in the first place,” He replied dismissively, “It’s like Amy said, he’s just like that. He doesn’t realize he’s being offensive.” He hoped to change the subject, so he looked down at the cold steak on her plate, “Aren’t you going to eat your food?”  
“Oh… I…” She sighed, “I actually don’t eat red meat.”  
He couldn’t hold back a chuckle as he shook his head, “I knew you wouldn’t like it even if you did eat red meat, Vector likes his cut rare.”  
Winona sighed as she looked down at the bloody steak, scratching the back of her head and laughing sheepishly, “So it seems…” He kept his head turned away from her as he slid his plate closer to her, inviting her to eat his food instead. Amy’s jaw dropped, and Espio had already anticipated her surprised reaction. He knew that she was going to have something to say about it, he recognized that feral look in the love-obsessed eyes of hers. But he decided that he would deal with it later. It wasn’t as if his act of kindness was charged by some crush that he had on Winona-- no, he refused that idea. He was just taking his duty as her protector seriously. Her wellbeing was his responsibility, and he had to make sure that she was well fed. That’s all.   
Right?  
“Espio, no.” She pushed his plate back toward him, “You aren’t even finished, don’t pity me because I did something stupid.”  
He pushed the plate back toward her. “I insist. I’m finished eating anyway.” That was a lie; he was actually still starving. But as Winona looked down at his plate, he could see the hunger in her eyes-- making it clear that she wasn’t at all satisfied with the veggies that she’d gotten alongside her steak. So, she caved into his gesture and smiled at him appreciatively.   
“Thank you, Espio. That’s very sweet of you.”  
All it took was a couple of honeyed words from her mouth to make his skin vibrate in glee. Before he knew it, the corner of his lips tugged upward into a happy smirk, which he hid by turning away from everybody at the table. He didn’t want to be seen in such a weird, giddy state, so he stood and excused himself from the table and rushed through the restaurant toward the bathrooms, which he burst through as his heart threatened to jump to his throat and out of his mouth. He looked at his reflection in the mirror and swallowed hard. Winona was right, he did look sick. His face was pink and he was sweating profusely. He’d never seen himself in such a state before--  
And it was all thanks to one troublesome little Witch.


	21. Chapter 21

“She wants to have a wedding on the beach.” Vector explained as he pushed a shot glass toward Espio from the opposite side of the bar. From a stool, Espio sat with his elbows resting on the counter, listening to the Crocodile’s dreamy interpretation of Vanilla’s plans for them as a couple. He wasn’t particularly interested in what Vector was saying, but he continued to listen for the sake of being a good friend and he allowed him to continue as Espio looked down at the whiskey in front of him. “She thinks that our friends would appreciate something more casual, and I gotta’ say that I agree. I kinda’ like the thought of gettin’ married in swim trunks.” As Vector laughed, the stench of his past three whiskey shots wafted from his breath to Espio’s nose, causing him to lean away from his friend’s face.   
“Well, Charmy’s going to be happy to hear that he won’t be forced into a suit and tie.” Espio replied as he lifted the glass to his lips and knocked it back quickly. He cringed at the oaky flavor and sat the glass back on the counter, licking the taste away from his lips as Vector grabbed the bottle to fill his glass once again. He was going to stop his friend since his buzz had already grown intensely, but he was too late to raise his finger. Before he knew it, there was another fresh glass of whiskey in front of him, and Vector continued his tangent with a boastful stride.   
“Yeah, that too. I can’t wait to see Vanilla all dolled up. Imagine, I’m at an altar at the beach-- Cream’s got a trail of flowers leadin’ up and down the aisle… and I turn around and there’s Vanilla, just walkin’ up to me in a white sundress with a bouquet in her hands and a veil over her face…” Vector sighed and leaned over the counter with a broad smile, “That’s perfection right there, Es.”  
“I see.” Said Espio slowly as he looked down at the caramel-colored liquid in the glass, which he swirled around in his hand as he listened. He felt his skin grow warm as the alcohol had begun to take effect. It didn’t take much to make his thoughts stir and his skin grow warm and tingly. As the alcohol relaxed his body, he became more and more interested in what Vector was actually saying. The way that his friend spoke with such passion about Vanilla was beginning to actually resonate with Espio, and he didn’t really understand why. Since his first shot that night after Vector and Vanilla’s engagement celebration, Espio had been numbed to any feelings of doubt and reluctance. Therefore, he felt comfortable enough to ask questions that he wouldn’t normally ask. He sat up straight in his chair and took his last shot before turning the glass upside-down on the counter. Then, he leaned in and asked Vector in a low, quiet voice, “You know, you never actually told me how you two met in the first place…” Espio glanced at the door separating the bar from the kitchen before allowing himself to go on, “How did you know that you loved her?”  
Vector smiled and took a sip directly from the whiskey bottle in his hands, “Oh, well, I guess it’s not really that entertainin’ of a story but…” The Crocodile’s face grew red, “Well... I guess I can tell you. This was before I even met you, before the Chaotix, and before I even had my driver’s license. So, I was just sittin’ at a bus shelter in the city waiting to catch a ride home from work. I remember her standing next to me with her arms full of grocery bags, and Cream was standing beside her, suckin’ her thumb-- you should have seen her that little, she was itty bitty.” Espio observed the smile on Vector’s face widen, “And uh, as Vanilla’s gettin’ on the bus, a bag in her hands broke and her groceries went everywhere and she’s all fussin’ cause’ the driver’s trying to leave without her. Then, of course, Cream starts wailin’ as a proper toddler does… and Vanilla looks up to me with her big ol’ baby eyes and asks if I could help… and well…” His smile grew even wider, “I just couldn’t say no. It’s like that when you’re fallin’ in love. You just can’t say no. It was her eyes that got me. The bus left us there, and I walked her all the way to the next bus stop, and I brought them all the way home so that I could get this lady and her kid their groceries. I’m glad I did.”  
Espio nodded, “Yes, but how did you know?”  
“How did I know what?”  
“How did you know that you loved her?”  
Vector raised a brow, then opened his mouth to respond. However, he slowly closed his mouth as his eyes wandered the room. He looked as though he didn’t exactly know how to answer Espio, and his pause continued for a few minutes. He lifted a finger at the Chameleon until he was ready to reply, and once he did, he still didn’t even seem all too sure of himself, “Well,” He itched the back of his head, “It’s kinda just somethin’ you just know. It’s a feelin’ in your soul, and it’s hard to describe. I knew right off the bat that I was attracted to her, but that’s a lot different than love. Let’s see…” He put a finger to his chin as he pondered, “I knew I was in love with her before this, but the first time I really thought about it was when she came to me with cake for my birthday. Everybody else forgot, but not her. Suddenly I could see myself doing everything with this woman.” Vector laughed, “I would do anythin’ for her. I can’t explain it. If you asked me to sprint to the store to get you a snack, I probably wouldn’t… but if Vanilla asked me to sprint to the store to get her a snack, then shit-- you might see me sprintin’ down Hadley Avenue to Eggmart to get her a goddamn snack. It’s just like that, and I don’t know why. I’m a slave for this woman, but she’s just as committed to me and I--” He shrugged his shoulders, “I don’t really know why. She’s too perfect for clumsy ol’ me. I’m lucky, I really am.”  
Espio looked away in confusion. He couldn’t comprehend half of what Vector had just said in between his slurred speech, but what he did understand was equally incomprehensible. Espio couldn’t imagine himself bending over backward for somebody in the way that Vector would for Vanilla unless he was obligated to. He thought that he’d surely feel humiliated if he was in Vector’s shoes. But then, he soon realized that he already had been bending backward for somebody.   
Winona.   
His body rushed with warmth as her face became imaginable in his mind so vividly that it almost seemed tangible. He felt himself beginning to panic as his mind began to race-- if it weren’t for his mission, would he still have shared his food with Winona earlier that day? If it weren’t for his mission, would he have still defended her from Kuckles’s barrage of ignorant commentary?   
Unlike Vector, Espio regarded the idea of being in love with so much disdain that it borderlined repulsion. He wouldn’t admit to himself how it frightened him. He couldn’t stand the thought of sharing a space with somebody, let alone sharing a bed with someone. He couldn’t even think about the topic of sex without getting squirmish like a child. Like all of his other imperfections and unnecessary emotions, Espio sought to push these uncomfortable thoughts to the back of his mind-- but his drunk curiosity got the better of him.   
“Do you ever fear that she might break your trust? How do you just put your faith into somebody like that? How do you just become a willing slave?” He asked.  
Vector smiled and shrugged again as he lifted the bottle to his lips once more, “I guess I’m just blinded by love. Not that I think she would ever break my trust to begin with, but even if she did… I think that I’m so crazy for her that I might just forgive her. Even if it was bad... Say, why do you ask, anyway?”  
Espio responded with a nonchalant shrug.  
They were just packing up the bar when Winona trotted in with a few books in her hands. He was startled to see her in a pair of purple pajamas, with her quills pushed away from her face and her glasses sitting peacefully on the bridge of her nose, magnifying her twinkling eyes as she looked at them with amusement. “Drinking without me?” She pouted playfully and sat beside him, the scent of her coconut perfume drowning out the smell of Vector’s whiskey breath, “How mean!”   
“Oh, uh, sorry Winona. I didn’t think you were uh… of legal drinkin’ age.” Said Vector as he sat the now empty whiskey bottle back in its original place on the shelf, “I thought you went to bed.”  
Winona scrunched her face and blinked at the Crocodile in confusion, “Legal drinking age?” She then glanced at Espio and the empty cup in front of him, “But I’m Espio’s age. The legal age where I’m from is fourteen.”  
Vector’s jaw dropped, “Fourteen?! I’m sorry,” he laughed, “You’re tellin’ me that in Witch country it’s normal for fourteen-year-old kids to get sloshed?”  
She laughed, “Uh, well-- I can’t really say from experience, but I’m sure that they did. What’s the legal drinking age here?”  
Winona looked to Espio to answer her question, and he was beginning to wish that she didn’t. He didn’t want her to see him in such an intoxicated state-- and although he felt as though he had his wits about him for the most part, there was still that chance that he might say or do something that he would later regret. So, he rehearsed his answer in his head before he even let himself open his mouth to reply.  
“Twenty-one. I’m not technically of age either.”  
Winona then turned to give Vector a playful and sour look, “How come you’ve got to interrogate me, then? How come Mr. Ninja gets special treatment?”  
Vector raised his hands defensively and chuckled, “Alright, m’lady, what’s your drink of choice?”  
“I’m quite fond of wine, do you have rosé?”  
By the time Vector had poured her a glass, Espio was about ready to head to bed. After all, it was starting to get quite late and he found himself weary from the night before. Even Vector had gone to sleep, leaving him and Winona in the bar alone. He wanted to sleep and rest his heavy eyes, but he felt that it would be rude to leave her in the bar all by herself in the middle of the night. So, he stayed, watching her as she lifted the glass to her lips and sipped, holding a pen between her fingers as she scribbled little symbols on a piece of paper as she read from one of her books.   
“That’s not the same book you were reading the other day, what are you doing?” He asked this in an effort to fill the void of awkward silence that had fallen when Vector made his exit.  
“Oh, I’m studying the runic alphabet.” She said, Lifting the book up so that he could see its contents. Paragraphs of cryptic symbols lined the book’s pages, decorated by the occasional hand-drawn pictures of plants and herbs alongside graphs that he didn’t understand, “I never got to learn it when I was young,” She explained, “so I only have a limited amount of spells that I can read from my spellbook. Some have been written in runic only, while others are roughly translated. I figured that I ought to learn it myself since there’s no one else to teach me. If I manage to decipher this spell I’m working on, I’ll be able to master summonings-- and if I do that…” She gave him a wide smile and spoke proudly, “I’ll get to be a level one Witch.”  
Espio perked up, “Really?” He didn’t expect that helping her raise her level would be so easy. Perhaps he’d be able to get rid of Klaus sooner than he thought. He nodded in consideration and once again rehearsed his words before speaking, “Is there a way that I can help?”  
She looked at him as though she was caught off-guard. Her lips slightly parted and her eyebrows up-turned, “You want to help me?”  
Those damn sparkling eyes. Looking at him like he was the hero for once. Those eyes… they intoxicated him in ways that the whiskey couldn’t. He’d grown so engrossed by the way she looked at him with such trust and adoration that he forgot to rehearse his words, and he replied in a drunken slur. “Sure. How hard can it be?”   
She smiled, and the fact that her smile was caused by him-- well, it also made him smile. He felt so good at that moment that he abandoned his prior concerns-- or perhaps he’d simply forgotten them in his drunken state. Either way, he didn’t mind. She scooted her stool closer to him, and if he were sober, he might have scooted away-- it was thanks to the whiskey’s warm influence that he tolerated their close proximity. She was so close to him that her knee brushed up against his, and to Espio’s surprise, he no longer felt the need to disappear. In fact, he was beginning to feel like he wanted to be even closer.   
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Winona was positively ecstatic that Espio was willing to help with her studies. She hadn’t expected that he’d be interested in her education, nor did she expect that he’d be interested in helping her pursue said education. At that moment, she felt sentimental-- his gesture had touched her heart, but more importantly, she could tell that he was beginning to shed the walls that he had used to defend his aura from her. Perhaps it was the whiskey on his breath, but the Chameleon was starting to become a lot more comfortable with her, and it thrilled her.   
“Well, in that case, maybe tomorrow I’ll make flashcards. Would that be okay?” She asked. He smiled and nodded, resting his head on his hand as he leaned on the bar to look at her.   
“Sounds good to me.”  
It was clear to Winona that Espio was generously intoxicated. His face was red and his smile had turned into a weird, confident smirk. She had daydreamed a similar scenario before countless times after reading a romance novel a few years back-- Alone in a bar with a man, pouring over her studies and interests with such passion, and the man would listen, looking at her like she was the most exciting person in the world. Except, Winona had never intended to manifest this fantasy of hers into reality. Her smile fell once she had become hypnotized by his sharp yellow irises. She was thankful that her face had already become flushed from the warmth of her wine, because she was now blushing so madly that it surely would have been embarrassing otherwise.   
Espio pointed to the book beneath her runic dictionary and said, “What is this? Is this also for your studies?”  
It was a thick novel, one that she had read thousands of times and carried with her for the sake of nostalgia. It was her favorite. However, due to it’s strange and macabre nature, she felt reluctant to share it with him. So, she covered it up with the paper in her hand and looked away from him.  
“No, it’s just… just a book.” She stuttered before lifting the wine to her lips.  
“You like to read a lot, don’t you? What kind of books do you read?”  
Winona felt her body grow hotter and hotter, and she had begun to feel her heart race in her chest. She couldn’t believe what was happening to her at that moment-- she couldn’t comprehend why Espio suddenly seemed so genuinely interested in her studies and interests. In her eyes, she was just a measly little Witch struggling to get by with what little power she had. Meanwhile, he was a soulful and intelligent Chameleon who also happened to be a Ninja master. She simply didn’t understand why someone like him would want to know so much about someone like her. Sure, she was a Princess, but she had no Kingdom. Sure, they were friends, but they’d only known each other for a few days. If it weren’t for their sensitive talk the night before, she might have questioned his motives.  
Regardless of her insecurities, Winona could not ignore just how good it felt to be the center of Espio’s attention. He looked so striking-- and she felt her fingers begin to shake as she realized just how attractive the Chameleon was. He was fit and had the body of a true athlete, which was something she assumed was expected for a Ninja. Beyond his fetching appearance, however, she found herself much more attracted to who he was. The more that Winona thought about him, the harder it became for her to open up about herself.  
“Oh, I doubt you’d be interested, really.” She tried to push the topic away, but he gave her a look of insistence.   
“Maybe not, but that doesn’t matter, does it?” He looked down at the empty shot glass in front of him, “If you don’t want to tell me, that’s okay. I’ll respect your wishes.” He then chuckled and closed his eyes, speaking to her in a teasing manner “You don’t have to be so shy about it, though.”  
Winona pursed her lips and put her hands on her hips, “Who says I’m shy about it?”  
“Well, the flustered look on your face gives it away.” His devilish smirk widened, “Don’t worry, I won’t give you a hard time. I have interests that I don’t like to share, I know how it feels. I play an instrument on my down-time, but I won’t let anybody hear me play.”  
“Why not?” She asked innocently as she took another sip of wine.  
He laughed awkwardly, “I’ll admit that I’m not the best at it. Still, I like to play. The shamisen reminds me of home.”  
Winona scoffed, “You? Bad at something? I don’t believe that for one second.”  
“Oh? And why is that?” He asked, raising a brow at her while she readjusted herself in her stool.  
“Because you’re good at everything you do. To think that you’re even suggesting that you’re bad at something baffles me.” She said, gesturing toward him with her cup, “You never get nervous talking to people, you’re an excellent speaker,” She counted on her fingers as she began to list all of the many things she admired about him, “You’re incredible with those little knives and throwing stars, I’ve never seen someone so agile. Not to mention how strong you are, you carried me back at the castle as if I weighed nothing. You’re naturally spiritually gifted and incredibly empathetic and you’ve got an amazing intuition... You’re talented in many aspects, Espio. You make things look so easy. I wish I could speak without a stutter or second-guessing myself the way that you can.”  
After her rant, she found herself wishing that she hadn’t said all of that. He was now looking at her with his mouth agape in astonishment, and she wasn’t sure if it was good or bad until a soft smile formed on his face shortly after. He looked away from her after briefly exposing a flash of sorrow in his eyes, which he closed so that she could not see.  
“Do you really mean all of that?” He asked in a soft, fragile voice.  
“Of course I do.” She replied, “How can I not? You’re a bonafide hero. In fact, I ought to knight you. Perhaps I’ll hire you to save my butt every time I get myself into trouble.” She laughed at her dumb little joke, but Espio did not. She feared that she might have offended him, so she reached out to grab his shoulder. However, she immediately swiped her hand away when he suddenly looked back at her with appreciation in his eyes.  
“Thank you.” He said. The words slipped from his tongue like they were completely foreign or as if he’d never spoken them before. “I don’t hear reassurance like that very often.”  
Before Winona could comment on what Espio said, a sudden blaring noise emitted from the corner of the bar, causing Winona to leap out of her stool in fright. She was about ready to panic and prepare for death at the hands of an intruding Witch Hunter-- but then, Espio put a comforting hand on her shoulder.   
“Relax,” He said, “It’s just the phone.” Winona watched him as he stood and made his way to the corner of the room to pick the telephone off of the receiver, and she noticed his demeanor shift from warm and inviting to cold and serious as he lifted the phone to the side of his head. “Chaotix residence…” his head twitched slightly as the person on the other end of the line spoke back to him quickly in an inaudible muffled tone, “Yes,” He replied, “We’re available tomorrow. Why do you ask, officer?” Winona’s eyes widened, and upon seeing the concern on her face, Espio turned his head away from her and spoke in a quieter voice, “Understood. We’ll cooperate.” as he hung the phone back onto the wall, he looked back at her and said, “Looks like we’ve got a new case.”  
“Wait, I’m confused, were you just speaking to the police?”  
He nodded as he returned to her side, “...Yes. I guess they’re overwhelmed and need our assistance. That’s never happened before, so it can’t be good.” He crossed his arms, “he was vague on the phone, I get the feeling that he left out details to make it hard for us to refuse. Tch.” He clicked his tongue and sighed, “They’re hooligans, the police… but if they called us, then it must be serious. I have a bad feeling about it.”  
Winona nodded as anxiety crept up her throat. She too had an awful feeling in the pit of her stomach-- one that her sixth sense recognized as a warning.


	22. 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, omg I am once again sorry for the late update. I got really sick and I didn't have the energy for writing. I hope y'all forgive me ;_;

The masked ones sought cover beneath a shabby little bridge on the outskirts of the city. The pelting rain from the clouded midnight sky had solidified into heavy, cold beads of hail- beating in rhythm onto the concrete ground like a constant drum. The Ringleader was taking one last deep drag off of the cigarette between his gloved fingers when he finally grew impatient. They'd been waiting there for hours, and still, their alleged employer did not show. He let out a huff of smoke and threw the butt of his cigarette onto the wet ground before turning to his comrades, who leaned up against the brick of the bridge, the reflective surface of the goggles on their gas masks glinting at him attentively.

"Where is that nutcase? I find it hard to believe that he'd go through the trouble to break me out of jail just to stand us up like this." Said the dark-haired Jackal as he removed his mask. With his grey eyes, he glared out into the storm, hoping to see some sort of silhouette approaching them in the distance. Alas, there was no figure. There was nothing more beyond the bridge beside the surrounding urban infrastructure. He let out an aggravated sigh as he began to pace back and forth, "I gotta' say, I'm a little disappointed. He promised a whole lot when he visited me in my cell."

"Yeah? Like what?" Asked his meek comrade, who sat on the cold wet concrete, leaned up against graffitied bricks as he lit a cigarette of his own.

"He's got money, Lucas. Loads of it." Replied the Jackal.

"I don't know, Miguel…" His second partner shook his head, speaking to his leader from his spot upon the hood of a rusty abandoned car, "I've got a bad feeling about this guy. Did he prove that he's got money? Or did you just take his word for it?"

Miguel stopped mid-pace to look at his other partner in the eye with a venomous stare, "Are you questioning my leadership, Percy?"

Percy looked back up at him, and behind the thick green lenses of his gas mask, Miguel could see his eyes widen in panic. He put his hands up in defense as Miguel approached him, stuttering pathetically as he attempted to mend the situation, "N-No, not at all, sir! I'd just hate for you to have false hope, that's all-"

"No, that's not what you meant. You forget your place, Percy." The two exchanged a minute long, intense stare- which Miguel would ultimately win. His eyes were too menacing for poor Percy to handle. So, when his partner looked away submissively, Miguel let out a sigh, "I'll let it slide for now. But, to answer your question… yes. I did take his word for it. But with good reason."

"What was the reason?" Asked Lucas from the corner.

"He's an Aetherborn," Miguel said with a half-smirk. "He wants the Witch dead just as much as we do-"

"-When did I say anything about wanting my dear little sister dead?" They hadn't seen him appear in the opposite corner behind Miguel. In fact, they hadn't even sensed him. Prince Varrick's sudden presence sent shivers down the mercenary's spine. Miguel swiveled on his heels to face his new employer with a face of optimism. Though his sudden appearance surprised him, he was too excited to greet Varrick to question how he had approached him- an ex-military sniper- without making a single sound. However, as he laid his eyes upon him, his bright optimistic smile quickly twisted into one of great horror. The Prince was accompanied by a demonic cryptid. "I told you that I was interested in your expertise," Varrick continued, stepping out into the light while smoothing back his short white quills with his fingers. "My assignment for you is rather complicated, I'm afraid. It's the Chameleon I want dead. My sister, on the other hand, must be brought to me alive."

Miguel hesitated to respond. He hadn't even processed Varrick's words- he was too busy staring into the eyes of the horned demon that stood beside the Prince, dressed head to toe in armor like a dark, hellish knight. The other two Witch Hunters also cowered. Like their leader, they were overcome by an overwhelming stench of blood and sulfur which emitted from the wet breath of the Demon as it growled at them, baring its dripping fangs.

"Oh, don't mind Klaus," said Varrick, motioning toward the Demon beside him with a dismissive wave of his hand, "He's just here to make sure that we all get what we want out of this situation. You see, Klaus also has a use for my sister- but she must be alive, of course."

Miguel blinked, looking back and forth between Varrick and the demonic presence beside him. When he did respond, the veteran mercenary made sure to straighten his composure, acting as though he wasn't at all mortified to his core, "Yes, well… we aren't Chameleon hunters, we are Witch hunters. We're in it for the blood. Leaving her alive would defeat the purpose. My ancestors-"

"Yes, those ancestors of yours… pesky little buggers gave my family a run for their money for some time before we rose to power." Varrick chuckled and sighed, "You lot had a cute vendetta against our kind. My kin and your kin have been at war for centuries. You want to kill the last Witch to redeem your family's honor, then pawn her blood so that you can retire and live a life free of financial stress." Miguel furrowed his brow as Varrick described every one of his aspirations to the T. A jolt of electric cold shot from the base of his spine up toward his neck, and his hairs began to stand on end. He couldn't fathom how Varrick knew what he knew. Back at his jail cell, he had been told that Varrick himself was no sorcerer, so the cunning Jackal figured immediately that Varrick must have done some digging into his own background. This was a fact that haunted him since Miguel had destroyed all records of his family's lineage long ago. Varrick took Miguel's stunned silence as a cue to continue, "am I right about that, Miguel?"

Miguel choked his answer out from the back of his esophagus, "Y-yes but-"

"Worry not about the blood. You will be rewarded for your loyalty. You will have what you want. I will have my sister's blood donated to you in bulk so long as you do as I ask"

Miguel considered the Prince's words and eyed his partners with a look of caution. They stood behind him in silence but nodded to him as if to say that they trusted him to make the right call. He flashed his eyes up at Varrick, who was shifting his weight back and forth on his heels, swaying playfully as if they were simply discussing something as casual as the weather. There was something untrustworthy about the look in Varrick's distant eyes- though they looked at him, it felt as though they did not acknowledge him. His blood-orange eyes looked through him as if he was insignificant. It was a red flag that Miguel would later regret disregarding.

"...And if we refuse your offer?"

"Sweet Miguel… you are free to make whatever choice pleases you. we will both go on our merry way and forget about this encounter if you decide that you'd rather not participate." Varrick glanced at the Demon named Klaus, who stared back at the Prince as if there was deep loathing in his heart. The Demon looked almost as though he was forced into compliance. His mouth was frothing and his upper lip twitched as if he was constantly on the brink of lashing out violently. The aura about the creature intimidated Miguel, yet Varrick spoke to it like an innocent, wide-eyed puppy, "They'll regret killing my sister, won't they, Mr. Klaus? So if they decide to turn me down, they'd better stay out of our way." Varrick cooed at the creature, "Isn't that right, sweet boy?"

Miguel heard his two partners gulp audibly from behind him as the Demon shifted his eyes to the three of them. His aura overwhelmed them, shooting right through their bones like an electrifying warning. It was a threat. They had no choice, just the illusion of choice. Varrick knew that if they turned him down, they'd hunt the Witch regardless of his own maniacal plans- and if they did that, he'd send the monster named Klaus to put an end to them. The mercenary had never felt so cornered, and he was ashamed to have let himself be domineered in such a way. However, there was a vibration in the air that he could feel, radiating from the Prince like bursts of cold wind. He was powerful, and Miguel felt as though it would be best to stay on his good side, even if only for the time being.

"...The Chameleon is strong. He told me that the Witch is under the protection of some Clan." Said Miguel, "It will take time to formulate a foolproof plan to take him out." He sighed, "But it can be done. You've got a deal."

"Marvelous!" Varrick clasped his hands together and grinned widely, "I'll give you two weeks to eliminate the Chameleon. I'll be in contact with you soon." The Prince reached into his coat, looking the three Witch hunters in the eyes with a smirk as he pulled out a glittering gemstone. He cleared his throat and exclaimed aloud, "Chaos control!" Then, with a brilliant flash of bright white light, Varrick and the Demon named Klaus disappeared without a trace, leaving the three mercenaries alone beneath the bridge in stunned silence.  
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

Winona was rather off that next morning. Espio noticed after they left the agency that she was a lot less sociable and seemed to avoid conversation altogether. He watched her through the rearview mirror from the passenger-side as Vector climbed into the driver's seat. It was clear that something was on her mind, and by the serious, concentrated look on her face as she stared out of the window, it was haunting her. He was half tempted to ask what was bothering Winona, but Vector was too busy putting on a show for them. The Crocodile was consumed with glee, proud that the police had asked them, the Chaotix Detective Agency of all people, to help them hunt down an alleged serial killer. He sang boisterously as he shifted the gear into reverse, driving them to the scene haphazardly. On their way there, Espio had to quietly scold him a few times for driving so recklessly, and every time he did, he would look back at Winona to make sure that she wasn't getting car-sick or annoyed by the Crocodile's chaotic behavior. However, not even Vector's chaos could stir her from the thoughts in her mind- and Espio wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing until they had arrived at the scene.

It was the back-alley behind a Pizza shop. Ribbons of crime scene tape decorated the walls. Beyond the tape was a single officer, who stood with his back turned to them looking into what looked like a toppled, open dumpster. Random city-folk gathered around the tape and peeked around the corner of the alley, trying to see what the commotion was about. Vector was practically overflowing with enthusiasm and flung himself out of the car, approaching the officer beyond the tape. Meanwhile, Winona remained still in her seat, her wide eyes stuck staring at the scene from behind the safety of the car window. She looked frightened, so as Espio slowly opened the passenger side door, he turned to her with a reassuring smile.

"You know, you don't have to come if you don't want to. It might be pretty gruesome."

She snapped from her trance-like stare and cleared her throat, shaking her head as she spoke without turning to look at him, "N-No, that's not necessary. It's not gore that I'm worried about." She wrapped herself in her arms and bit her lip, "I had an awful dream last night and...Something was here. Something demonic in nature but…" she tilted her head, "It's different. I've never felt an aura so hostile and pungent. It's nauseating. Are you certain this was a serial killing? Do we know who the killer is, or is that yet to be determined?"

Espio examined the fear and utter disgust on her face. He himself could sense no such demonic aura coming from the crime scene, but because of her genuine expression, he found it hard to doubt her words."It has yet to be determined. Princess, are you suggesting that the killer is a victim of demonic possession?"

"I don't know." She replied. "I won't be able to figure that out from this distance…" Winona gagged and looked away, covering her mouth in embarrassment, "but this aura is so intense that I fear I may vomit if I get any closer."

The Ninja gave the Princess a look of consideration and nodded, "Stay here for the time being. I'll tell you everything you need to know when I get back, okay?" With her hand still covering her mouth, Winona looked up to him and nodded. He left her there, and as he exited the car, he gave her a second glance. She must have seen the worry on his face because she looked back at him with a meek smile. Then, Espio hurried to Vector's side near the dumpster.

The remains were so mangled that even he had to look away. The body was positioned in such an awkward, abnormal way that it resembled a ragdoll or a ventriloquist dummy more than it resembled a mobian. Espio pitied the poor individual- even at first glance, it was clear that their body had been seemingly eaten. There were massive bite marks riddling the victim's limbs. And, judging by the shocked look on their face, they must have been alive when it happened. Their matted fur was ripped away from their flesh, which made Espio unsure as to what the victim's gender was until Vector cleared it up for him.

"Her name was Ava." Said the Crocodile, "Officer says that she worked in the pizza place. I'm willin' to bet it was a random killing rather than a crime of passion. I think it's clear that she wasn't targeted for any particular reason, just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time." He sighed and shook his head, "Eaten alive, huh? D'ya think the perp was possessed before he went on this rampage?"

"I believe they were under the influence of something supernatural." Espio replied as he scanned the rest of the scene, "Winona won't step foot near the body. She said that there's an overwhelming aura of some kind." As his vision passed where the victim was lying and up toward the wall, he noticed something strange. "Look." He pointed to the wall, where there were letters written in an odd cryptic language. It looked as though they'd been crudely scribbled there by a child, or at least written by somebody who might have been illiterate. To anybody else, it might have looked like insignificant chicken-scratch, but Espio knew that it was much more than that. The letters written in oxidized blood looked like something he'd expect from Winona's spellbook. Espio held his palm out toward his partner, "hand me your notepad, will you?"

"Oh, uh, sure." Vector placed his beaten notepad into Espio's hand. Then, he carefully replicated the words on the wall onto the paper before ripping it out of the pad. He handed the notepad back to Vector before turning to head back toward the car, leaving the Crocodile to discuss the scene with the officer present.

After jogging the short distance between the alley-way back to their little grey car, he looked up from the paper to find one of the back passenger doors ajar- and Winona was nowhere to be seen, absent from her spot in the back seat. He immediately halted at the curb and felt a warm rush of panic settle into his body as his mind played a rundown of each and every worst possible case scenario that he could imagine. His eyes darted in every direction as he shouted for her. His voice startled a couple of passerbys, who even flinched as he suddenly blurted,

"Winona?! Princess?!" Espio felt a crack in his vocal cords, and his panic must have alerted Vector, who shouted back at him as Espio circled the car and wandered out into the street, frantically looking for where Winona might have disappeared to.

"Es! You alright over there, buddy?"

"No, I'm not alright! It's Winona, she's-!"

False alarm. It was an instant relief to see her on the other side of the road, hunched over a trash can. She was green-faced and looked strained as if she was about ready to blow chunks- but Espio wasn't thinking about that when he rushed over to her side and issued a scolding that came off a lot more harsh than he intended it to.

"Winona, what were you thinking?! I thought you got snatched up by a Demon or something!"

Winona looked up to him with apologetic eyes, however, she did not issue him an apology. Instead, she uttered the words, "Ava. That's her name, isn't it?"

Espio nodded slowly, "Yes, did you contact her?"

"Yes." Winona responded between gags, "Only briefly. I pulled these two cards before this aura- or whatever it is- became too intense and I-" She swallowed hard as she lifted two cards from the tarot deck that Amy had gifted her the night before. One depicting a rising moon, and the other depicting the red devil himself. Though he didn't understand their meanings, his intuition told him that they weren't a good sign."I didn't want to vomit in Vector's car. I'm sorry to have worried you so badly."

"It's okay, let's forget that happened." Said Espio regretfully with a sigh, "I have something to show you, here." As he lifted the paper in his hands, she promptly snatched it away from him and gasped. It seemed that he was correct, Winona did in fact recognize the language. "It was written on the wall in blood. Do you know what it means?" He asked.

Winona held the paper in-between the two cards in her hands with a frazzled expression. "This is runic." She replied, "I can translate it, but it'll take some research." The Princess then bit her lip and looked back toward the crime scene, whispering fearfully, "This is bad. Very bad. Espio, I don't mean to panic you, but we have to leave. This whole thing, I fear that it's a trap. This whole ordeal is a little too calculated for comfort."

"C-calculated?" Espio's eyes darted for the buildings surrounding them, searching the nearby scaffolding and fire-escapes for anybody who may be lurking. He didn't understand how she had come to such a conclusion, but he trusted her words. "Let's get out of here."

"Oh, okay…" she muttered in response as he grabbed her by the hand and began to lead her back toward the car. And, as he escorted her to the back seat, he realized that what she was saying made a lot of sense. The mysterious force that she described affected her, and only her, effectively separating Winona from him. It was obvious that it was intentional. He cursed himself for being so careless as she climbed into the car, and instead of joining Vector in the front, he sat beside the Princess in the back seat so that she could describe to him the meanings of the cards that she had pulled from her deck.

"The Moon represents hidden secrets that have yet to be revealed." She explained, "Then, there's this." She flipped the Devil card over in her hand. For a moment, she looked relieved as Vector pulled them away from the scene. As Vector led them a few blocks away, color began to return to her face and she no longer hunched as though she were ready to hurl. However, her relief was short-lived. As she looked at the Devil card in her hand, her expression fell into one of deep melancholy. "I can't really understand what it means in relation to The Moon, but I can tell you that it isn't good. More often than not, it's about betrayal or addiction. I get terrible chills thinking about it. I have many theories, but I'd rather not entertain any of them until we decipher this message first… um, Espio?" She clicked her tongue and looked down at his hand, which was still firmly clasped around hers as he listened attentively, "You can let go now."

Espio flung his hand away from her as soon as she noticed it, his face turning a beet red in embarrassment. He received an odd look from Vector, who glanced at him from the rearview mirror. Luckily, his partner opted to say nothing and continue driving. Espio was dying inside, kicking himself mentally for absent-mindedly overstepping a boundary in such an odd way. He refused to even acknowledge that he had done something so weird, so he continued the conversation as if it simply hadn't happened at all.

"B-but how did you figure that it was a trap? What about everything is so calculated?" He asked.

She sighed as she returned her cards back to her deck, "Well, it's the victim, you see. Her spirit, when I eventually contacted it, it was only half there. Her soul was half-eaten. Demons don't leave leftovers to enjoy for later. They consume everything until there is nothing left… this might sound crazy, but I think…" she glanced out the window, "I think that Klaus is our culprit. He's the only Demon I know who is capable of self-control. He wanted me to hear her spirit's dying message, and he no doubt wanted me to read the runic on the walls and decipher its meaning. But, that of course contradicts the point of the nauseating aura that was meant to keep me from looking at the body… it makes me wonder if he's remorseful of what he's done. He didn't want me to see what he's become. Or, perhaps he intended to separate us so that he had an opportunity to strike, which is a much more likely circumstance now that I'm thinking about it." She sighed, and Espio could see a glimmer of faithful hope in her eyes as she looked at him. Winona truly clung to the idea that Klaus wasn't as malevolent as Espio knew he was. He felt her pain as though it was also his own, and although he would have liked to comfort her, wipe her face of all of the uncertainty and fear, he just could not justify her naive behavior. The Ninja held no empathy for the Demon- how could he? He bit his lip bitterly and looked away from Winona in order to hide the hatred on his face. Klaus saw Winona as nothing more than property, and that alone was disgraceful enough to warrant a death sentence from Espio.

"Please don't take this the wrong way, Winona." Said Vector from the front seat, "But I wouldn't be so quick to jump to conclusions just yet. There were a few other things found at the scene that don't add up with what you're sayin'. Klaus might be involved, but I'm thinkin' that there's more than one culprit. There were footprints found at the scene, does Klaus wear a men's size 11 shoe? Do Demons even wear shoes?"

With this information, Winona seemed to come to a different revelation. Her lips slightly parted and her eyes wandered about the vehicle.

"What's wrong?" Espio asked.

"I knew it." She whispered.

"Knew what?" Vector asked, looking toward the back seat at a red light, nervously shifting his eyes between Winona and Espio. The Ninja recognized the wide-eyed look that his partner was giving him as a means to say: "This is absolute crazy talk."

"They're colluding with each other." Said Winona. She began to speak rapidly, "Secrets yet to be revealed, my brother is plotting with all of them. The Devil, betrayal… Varrick is taking advantage of Klaus's state, using him as a pawn. Perhaps the aura was used purposely to keep me from the body so that I could not come to this conclusion so easily, but Klaus made sure to eat only half of the woman's soul so that I would hear her dying message. He betrayed Varrick to relay this message to me. He wants me to know that they're working together. And this," She held up the runic symbols that Espio had scribbled down for her, "This may just be the confirmation we need to prove this theory."

Vector and Espio both exchanged equally baffled and doubtful looks, rendered nearly speechless by Winona's sudden crazed ranting.

"O-Okay… big brain, let's settle down now." Said Vector with a nervous chuckle. "We don't have any proof about any of this now, so let's just go through all of the evidence we have-"

"You doubt me." Winona crossed her arms, "I have never been so confident about something before, and you're doubting me?"

"Winona," Espio let out an exasperated sigh, "You just… it sounds like you're really paranoid, that's all-"

Winona's head snapped toward him as Vector pulled into the Agency, "Paranoid? Do I not have a good enough reason to be paranoid?" The Princess had clearly grown agitated at this point, and was now looking at Espio with eyes of passionate anger, "You are going to help me translate this runic and I will prove my theory to you. And, if I am right, you owe me an apology. Both of you." Winona pushed the passenger side door open with ripe aggression and slammed the door behind her, making her way into the Agency without even looking back at the two of them who stayed back in the car, too stunned to move.

"Dude…" Vector looked amused and frightened at the same time, "I didn't know Winona could get angry like that. Do you believe what she's saying? I mean, clearly, something supernatural is going on, but I'm not sure if it's as extreme as she's makin' it out to be."

Espio shrugged, unsure what to say, "Well, what if she is right? She predicted the outcome of our last case in a similar way, who are we to act as if she's being crazy? Maybe we should apologize..."

Vector's amusement melted from his face. "You never consider apologizing to people. You are so into her and it is so obvious." Vector didn't allow Espio a chance to refute his "asinine" statement. Instead, he held a finger up to the Chameleon as he began to exit the car, "You can talk to me about it when you're ready to be honest to yourself, I won't make fun of you." With that, Vector left Espio alone in the car. He was still buckled in, stuck in an internal crisis.


End file.
